By Godwin Oritse

THE House of Representative Committee on Customs and Excise has commenced the  probe of  past auction sales by the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS following several petitions over seized cargoes.

In a letter to the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali, Chairman of the Committee, Honourable James Faleke directed the Customs management to furnish the Committee with information concerning all seized cargoes.

In the letter with reference number NASS/8HR/COMM.CT.25.015, signed by the Committee’s Chairman, the Customs management was also to list the names of importers whose goods were seized.

Although, the Committee was silent on the period of seizures, it however wants to know the total value of seized goods.

The letter titled “Request for information on all seized/confiscated goods pending in your custody”, the Committee gave the management two weeks to respond to its request.

In a telephone chat with Vanguard, Faleke said all the Committee needed was information regarding the confiscated  goods.

“Äll we ask for is just information and when we get this, we will look at the relevant Customs laws and  will take a decision whether to go ahead or not because we have information with regards to some past deeds of the Customs management.

“And if you have information and you want to assist to cleanse the Customs system please do oblige us,” he said.

“Kindly furnish the Committee with details of all seized/confiscated goods pending in your custody in this format.

”Description of goods, Period of seizure/confiscated goods, Estimated value of seizure/confiscated goods, list of those importers affected and their locations.”

When Vanguard contacted the service spokesman, Mr. Adewale Adeniyi, a deputy Comptroller of Customs said that he had no comments on the matter.

In his reaction, the President of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents, (ANLCA), Alhaji Olayiwola Shittu told Vanguard that  the Committee was at liberty to probe the Customs.

He said that he could not remember the last time Customs carried out a public auction of seized goods as these categories of cargoes are sold in secrecy.

In his own reaction, the President of the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents, (NCMDLCA), Mr. Lucky Amiwero said that Customs has never carried out any public auction of seized goods.

He added that the law does not allow the management of Customs to sell or auction seized goods adding that all that the Customs had done in the past was against the law.

He explained that even the Minister of Finance do not have legal powers to sell sei