As the nation continues to keep it borders closed, the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Col. Hameed Ali (rtd), has disclosed that 90 percent of cars in Nigeria were smuggled into the country by unscrupulous elements.
Ali, who said this while addressing newsmen in Abuja, alleged that many vehicles on display for sale in auto shops across the country were also smuggled.
He explained that the recent raids of the various car dealers’ spots in some parts of the country were to ascertain whether the vehicles were brought in genuinely or not.
The NCS Boss revealed that the country needs revenue for development hence, it became necessary to collect duties on those smuggled vehicles.
“We want to use this opportunity to ensure that cars within our borders are fully customized, which means duties are paid on them.
“What we are doing now, we are just enforcing the law, which allows us to collect revenue on behalf of Nigeria and also ensure those vehicles you and I will go and buy have genuine papers that are roadworthy,”.