A 72-year-old returnee from the United States of America (USA), Olukayode David Albert, has appealed to President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, to prevail on the officers and men of the Nigeria Customs Service, Lagos Command, not to auction his legitimate properties shipped to Nigeria.
Speaking with journalists in Ibadan, Oyo State capital on Tuesday, the distraught Mr Albert stated that as a returnee of almost three decades in the United States, he was miffed by the degree of affront with which Nigeria Customs officers treated him by displaying their institutionalized corruption at the country’s Seaport.
Albert declared that many Nigerians living abroad are scared to think of returning home to retire because of the despicable bureaucratic bottlenecks being created for the returnees by the Customs Officers.
He said,”I returned to Nigeria on September 17, 2024, and my container arrived at Lekki, Lagos on October 3, and was discharged on October 3, 2024, but I was told my container could not be located until October 27, 2024, that another news got to me that my container had been taken to Libra Terminal in Ikorodu. The commencement of clearing the container was delayed for almost a month”.
Albert shipped in two vehicles: a Hyundai car and a Chrysler, as well as, some personal effects.
According to him, “I was told by two different Agents who gave the valuation they said they got from the Customs Officers as normal duty (full payment) for 2011 being N3,304,000; Full payment for 2024 is N70,800,000; Household goods N2,000,000, totalling N76,000,000. For compromise value, 2011 Chrysler -N1,888,000; 2024 Hyundai -N35,400,000; Household goods -N2,000,000, totalling N39,288,000.
“For valuation and blocking N2,000,000; CPC, headquarter Approval, DC, Revenue N5,000,000; Releasing and gate and FOU N6,000,000; Shipping and terminal, exclusive demurrage N900,000, transportation not inclusive as well. So total clearing cost is N53,500,000”, he said.
Declaring that “the Agents said they would not input the process in their system unless I offer them money to induce them”, Albert went further to say that “Again, to get approval for 846 Application, the officers demanded N350,000 but when I asked for the account to pay into, I was told to pay into an agent’s personal account, but I refused to do so.
“Upon getting the 846 Application approved, the Customs Officers asked me for money before they could give me a low customs duty, but I declined, hence they gave me a duty of N33,000,000 for the Hyundai 2024, and N1,900,000 for my Chrysler 2011, and N2,000,000 duty on my personal effects.
“When the duty on the Hyundai was viewed to be on the high side, the valuation was taken to CAC’s office for review but nothing was done for over two weeks until I cried out and was asked how much I could offer on the Hyundai to get a soft landing?
“I later rejected the soft landing and told them I was willing to go and borrow the N34,900,000 from my bank to pay the customs duty. To my surprise, I was told that if I refused to offer the officers some money, the customs valuation office would not process the required forms for the payment of the duty on my container, and they may eventually claim that my container was not cleared within the statute of limitation period and thereby auction my properties.
“I am therefore using this opportunity to appeal to President Bola Tinubu and the Finance Minister, Wale Edun, to save my properties from being auctioned by men of the Nigeria Customs. I got my property legitimately and plan to retire at home as a Nigerian. This is my SOS to our Leaders, please”, the septuagenarian cried out.
