Port Truckers Threaten Withdrawal from Nigerian Ports Over Customs Harassment

By DAPO OLAWUNI

The Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO) has threatened a withdrawal of service from Nigerian ports over the continued harassment and impoundment of their trucks by the Nigeria Customs Service.

In an open letter to the Customs Comptroller General, Col Hameed Ali, dated 22nd July 2022, a copy of which was obtained by DAILY TREND, signed by the President, Chief Remi Ogungbemi and the National Secretary, Alhaji Sanni Muhammed Bala, the association lamented that it’s trucks are being impounded and auctioned by customs.

“The seizure and possible auction of our trucks by the Nigerian Customs Service is causing an untold hardships on we truckers and for a very long time, we have been passing through this injustice in the hands of Nigerian Customs Service, as a direct result of dishonest declaration of actual goods that Importers and their collaborating Agents are having in their containers.

“Truckers are just mere commercial transporters of goods. We are only invited by agents to come and carry goods to and from the ports after Customs might have examine and approve the release of goods in containers to Importers and Agents.

“But unfortunately, after loading the containers on are duly examined and released by Customs on our trucks, they would waylay the trucks on the road, seize and detain our trucks in their yards together with containers with question marks”

AMATO argued that this is an injustice to truckers, in as much as customs does not arrest the Ships that do bring illicit goods to Nigeria for complicity.

It also noted that Customs does not seal the terminals that receive contraband and dangerous consignment in their yards for complicity in storing illicit consignments

“Are commercial Truckers involved in physical examination of goods in the ports together with Customs, Police, DSS, NDLEA, etc to see what they are going to carry?

“Does it sound just for Customs officers and other government agencies that jointly examined and approved the exit of contraband and other dangerous goods in the ports to be holding the trucker responsible for their fault and negligence?

“Is it the commercial trucker that is short paying government import duty on goods or the Importers and their Agents?

“If answer to the above questions is NO, we are calling on Nigerian Customs Service to release all our trucks detained in their yards or withdraw our service nationwide in protest against the unjust seizure of our trucks”

“Our members are facing agonizing economic hardships. Their means of livelihood are being seized by the Nigerian Customs for the offense committed by Importers and their dubious collaborating Agents. Nigerian Customs should please release all our trucks and stop using the Truckers as scapegoat.

“Recently, some containers were found to contain Tramadol and some contain arms ammunition. If the trucker knows that he is to carry container loaded with explosive that can destroy him and the truck or the contraband drug that would equally puts hum in trouble, he will not carry it. Thus, where is the justification of justice for seizing our truck ?

“We appreciate the previous Management of Customs authority, in that they reasoned with complaints and issued out Circular that enables us to retrieve our seized trucks through application.

“But the present Management of Customs wrote against the Circular. All our efforts / entreaties to the present management of the Customs to revalidate the Circular to enable us secure the release of our trucks have proved abortive. Hence our plan to settle out grievances with the Customs authority through the eloquence of WITHDRAWAL SERVICE ff our trucks are not released by the Customs.

“Enough is enough of Truckers dying in silence and paying for the negligence of government agencies at the ports and offense of Importers and their dubious collaborating Agents. We are therefore saying enough Is enough of Customs being harsh and cruel on us for another person’s offense. It is unwholesome, clear case of abortion of justice.

“We are saying, enough is enough! The Nigerian Customs at different fora made us to understand that the LAW says they should arrest the means of conveyance and If that be the reason, why not arrest the Ships that are bringing the containers with contraband goods to Nigena? or are the Ships no longer means of conveyance? And even by now such a law should have become obsolete as it has becomes very very injurious to our means of livelihoods” the open letter read