By Eguono Odjegba

There are strong indications that automobile dealers may have disagreed over plans to challenge the sealing of some car shops nationwide by the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, over alleged violation of import duty regulations.

Prince Ajibola Adedoyin, President of the Association of Motor Dealers of Nigeria, AMDON, debunked speculation that his group was part of the recent move to challenge the raid in court.

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Instead, according to him, AMDON is presently holding talks with the management of Customs as against plans by some other dealers to seek legal redress and compensation.

The legal representative of a section of the car dealers group threatening to seek legal action, Barrister Monday Onyeakachi Ubani, has accused the Customs of sponsoring a split amongst auto dealers to frustrate their effort to seek legal redress.

Ubani alleged that Adedoyin group was sponsored to truncate the position of most members of the car dealers association.

Ubani told an online news outlet that, ”Those ones are fake. The government is the one sponsoring them to divide the group.”

Adedoyin had said his group is the national body for all importers and sellers of motor vehicles in Nigeria.

The other group represented by Ubani is said to be automobile dealers group in Lagos State, which had issued a 14-day ultimatum to NCS to open their sealed car shops, while demanding N10billion compensations or face court action.

In a letter to the Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service, the group, through Ubani, condemned the September 30, 2019 raid and sealing of their shops by Customs operatives, describing the action as a “demonstration of gross irresponsibility, unprecedented impunity and abuse of power”.

The dealers claimed that all the cars in their business premises were duly cleared and with appropriate duties paid. The association also forwarded copies of the letter to the Senate President, Speaker, House of Representatives and the Attorney General of the Federation.

Part of the letter which also serves as a pre-action notice reads:

“We must state here with all sense of responsibility and patriotism that the action of Nigeria Custom officers in this regard is a demonstration of gross irresponsibility, unprecedented impunity and abuse of power.

“Though the Nigeria Customs & Excise Management Act gives you the power to examine, mark, seal and take account of any goods contravening your regulations, in this case, you did not examine, mark, seal and take account of the particular vehicles identified as not being properly cleared, but rather sealed up the entire premises without any form of examination or inspection of papers. ‘‘This very act of yours has no protection under the Act, but smacks of impunity, illegality and flagrant abuse of executive power.

“The moment when Nigerian government agencies elevate the pursuit of revenue above the right and welfare of the citizens, Nigeria is doomed. Take notice therefore that you have 14 days from the day you receive this letter to unseal all our client’s members’ business premises to enable them carry out their lawful businesses as Nigerian citizens.

“Take further notice that you have a period of 30 days from the date you receive this letter to pay a compensation of N10 billion to our Clients for the severe hardship, suffering, embarrassment, loss of business, physical, mental and psychological torture and trauma your arbitrary, lawless and inconsiderate action has caused our clients and their families, failing which our Client shall be left with no other option than to seek redress through a competent court of law.”