News
Nigeria Customs Service Vows To Impound Unverified Private Jets By July 6
Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says it will impound unverified private jets when owners fail to present their documents by July 6.
The Nigeria Customs Service says it will impound private jets whose owners fail to verify their documents before July 6, 2021— when a month grace period given would have expired.
This was revealed by the Public Relations Officer of NCS, Joseph Attah, on Monday in Abuja at a media briefing to update the public on the ongoing audit of privately-owned aircraft operating in Nigeria.
The agency had last month directed all private jet owners in the country to present relevant importation clearance documents to the agency for verification.
While giving an update about the first two weeks of clearance exercise on Monday, Attah said only six owners of private aircraft have responded to the invitation.
-
See Also : Philippines Customs Use Caterpillar To Destroy 21 Smuggled Cars Worth $1.2M, Including McLaren 620R
“Within two weeks into the 30 days verification period, only six owners of private aircraft have responded to the invitation, necessitating this update and reminder to those who have not responded, to do so in order to avoid possible detention of their aircraft.
“We learnt some are coming today or tomorrow for verification. We also know that some brought their private jets under a temporary import certificate, which has expired and not renewed. These are infractions,” he said.
“At the end of the verification, some of the things we want to expose will come to light. We will make our findings known on July 6 after the expiration of the 30-day grace window.
While adding that defaulters risk seizures of their private jet, the Customs spokesman stressed that the ongoing verification was not intended to inconvenience any owner of a private aircraft.
“Those in default risk detention of their aircraft as nobody is above the law,”
“As an agency of government responsible for enforcement of laws governing imports and exports in Nigeria, NCS will not hesitate to invoke appropriate sanctions on any defaulting private aircraft owner immediately after the expiration of the verification period on Tuesday 6th July 2021.
“For the avoidance of doubt, private aircrafts owners or their representatives are to report to Room 305, Tariff and Trade Departments, Nigeria Customs Service headquarters, Abuja, from 10 am to 5 pm between Monday, June 7 and Tuesday, July 6, 2021”
Attah added that the required documents for the verification are : Aircraft Certificate of Registration NCAA’S Flight Operations Compliance Certificate; NCAA’S Maintenance Compliance Certificate; NCAA’S Permit for non- Commercial Flights; and Temporary Import Permit where applicable.
