Some car dealers under the auspices of the Association of Motor Dealers of Nigeria in the South-West region of the country, on Monday, protested alleged harassment and extortion of their members by the officers of the Nigeria Customs Service.
The protesters who gathered at the headquarters of the Ondo/Ekiti Command of the NCS, in Akure, the Ondo State capital, accused the NCS officers of persistent extortion, harassment, and illegal seizure of their vehicles.
Chanting solidarity songs, the dealers carried placards with different inscriptions such as: ‘We pay duty, stop the harassment,’ ‘Customs – Uphold the Law, Not Extortion,’ and ‘Release Our Vehicles,’ among others.
They also alleged that the vehicles legally cleared at Lagos ports were still being intercepted on highways, subjecting them to arbitrary revaluation, which made them forcefully pay additional unofficial fees.
Speaking on the development, the National Vice President of the association, Alhaji Ibrahim Adeniyi, said the protest was long overdue, as the customs officers gave them problems on the roads.
He said , “We came here because of the way they embarrass us, stop us on the road, and issue fresh bills after we have cleared vehicles from the ports. It’s exploitation.
“They collect money from us at the port, and when we get to our states, they still collect more. That’s why we came en masse to fight for our rights.
“We came here because of the way they embarrass us, the way they stop us on the road, the way they collect our cars and issue fresh bills after we have cleared them from the ports. We are from Ondo State, Ekiti State, Oyo State, Lagos State, Ogun State, generally the South-West, and we are here.
“It’s an exploitation. Yes, they are collecting illegal money from us, which is wrong. Already they had collected money from the port before, and getting to our states, they are still demanding and collecting another money from us. That’s why we came here en masse, to fight for our rights.”
Adeniyi, however, commended the state Comptroller of NCS in the command, Mrs Queen Obazee, for giving them attention when met with her, saying the comptroller claimed to be oblivious of the harassment and extortion issue and promised to look into their grievance, as there was no such directives from her office.
Meanwhile, in a statement issued by the Public Relations Officer of the command, Mr Aondoakura Dzungwenen, the NCS said the service was committed to professionalism and integrity..
The statement read in part, “In the spirit of transparency and accountability, the command has since met with representatives of the Auto Dealers Association to address the matter. During the engagement, assurances were given that measures are being put in place to streamline operational procedures and prevent any recurrence of incidents that could be misconstrued as unprofessional conduct. On their part, members of the association have tendered an apology to the service.
“To further strengthen operational standards, the Customs Area Controller has approved additional training for officers, covering modules on operational engagement, enforcement procedures, reputation management, and stakeholder relations. These initiatives are aimed at deepening professionalism, enhancing compliance, and consolidating public trust.
“While the NCS remains open to constructive engagement, stakeholders are encouraged to channel grievances or complaints through the established official platforms of the service. We urge the public to avoid hasty judgments based on unverified claims, as the SERVICE remains unwavering in its resolve to discharge its statutory responsibilities with fairness, integrity, and respect for the rule of law.”
