Thousands of seized vehicles estimated to cost about N30 billion are currently wasting away at various warehouses of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) nationwide as bidders prospect for the opportunity to buy them on the e-auction platform.

It was learnt that the vehicles, including exotic brands and top models, were either abandoned by importers or seized from smugglers across the borders, seaports and other locations.

Among those sighted according to reports are Mercedes Benz G wagon and various Mercedes Benz 4matic models, Hummer, Mercedes Benz, Range Rover Evolution, Ford Edge, Toyota Land Cruiser, Highlander, Toyota Hilux, various models of Lexus, Porsche cars and a host of other sport utility vehicles (SUVs) from Ford and Toyota brands. There were also a variety of trucks, salon cars and buses.

vehicles banks e-wallet challenges auction customs seized vehicles

The seized vehicles, many of which have reportedly gone through the process of court condemnation and are awaiting auction, are detained at the border stations, seaport commands and at the Federal Operation Units (FOU) in Lagos, Owerri, Benin, Bauchi, Kaduna and Kano.

READ ALSO: Comptroller General Of Customs Impostor Arrested

The Comptroller-General of the NCS, Hameed Ali, had introduced an e-auction platform (app.trade.gov.ng/e-auction) on July 3rd, 2017, which recorded little progress due to some glitches being experienced with digital technology.

The last phase of the auction had only 806 vehicles uploaded on the platform and bought by 753 bidders. It generated about N346.1 million. Another phase began late May this year, but it was reported that it did not last one month before it was shut. At present, the e-auction process has stalled, due to the banks’ e-wallet challenges.

Customs Public Relations Officer, Deputy Comptroller Joseph Attah, confirmed that the banks’ e-wallet challenges posed difficulties for bidders in making payment.

“The e-auction is active and still on. Just that bidders at a point were experiencing difficulties in making payments through the e-wallet. The CGC had a meeting with the managing directors of the affected banks who promised to sort out the challenges at their own end. Uploading will continue immediately the banks are ready,” he said.

Attah had earlier told newsmen that some of the vehicles in their custody were due for auction, while others were still undergoing court processes.

“It’s not everything that you see there that must be auctioned. There are several conditions that are keeping some of them. There are those whose cases are still in court, and we have no right to auction them. We don’t have control over the court, and we don’t know how long the cases will take,” he stated

See Full details Here: https://www.anaedoonline.com/2019/07/13/over-n30-billion-worth-of-vehicles-wasting-in-customs-customs/

Make dem sell am out on option now