The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has refuted claims made by a 70-year-old US returnee, Mr. Olukayode David-Albert, that officers in Lagos demanded ₦76 million to clear his two vehicles and personal belongings. The service labelled the accusation as baseless.

Reports revealed that David-Albert accused Customs officers of initially billing him ₦76 million for import duties. This included ₦3.3 million for a 2011 Chrysler, ₦70.8 million for a 2024 Hyundai SUV, and ₦2 million for household goods. Allegedly, the sum was later reduced to ₦53.5 million after negotiations.

Responding to the allegations, the Tincan Island Command of the NCS clarified the situation in a statement by its Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Okwara.

According to Okwara, David-Albert is entitled to duty-free importation of personal belongings under the ECOWAS Common External Tariff (CET) regulations, but vehicles are excluded.

The statement explained, “While Mr. David-Albert qualifies for duty-free import of personal items, vehicles are not exempt. The 2024 Hyundai SUV attracts a 20% import duty, a 20% levy, and 7.5% VAT.

The total duty for both vehicles was determined to be ₦34,969,374. This is far lower than the alleged ₦53.5 million.”

The Customs Service reaffirmed its commitment to transparency and adherence to Nigeria’s customs regulations.