TheCable

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says 30 out of 65 verified private jet owners are liable to pay required agency duties to the federal government. 

Joseph Attah, NCS public relations officer (PRO), said this in an interview with NAN in Abuja, on Sunday.

Customs had commenced verification for private aircraft owners in June due to rising insecurity in Nigeria.

Attah told NAN that some of these private jets came into the country by the temporary importation agreement.

He said the agreement allows them to bring the planes without duty payment because it was secured by a bond.

According to him, many of them failed to turn up to pay on the expiration of the agreement which necessitated the verification exercise.

He said the exercise would allow more revenue to accrue to the federal government because those who failed to adhere to the agreement would be made to pay the duties.

The customs PRO also said the verification exercise has been extended again by another 14 days, which began on July 26 and ends on August 6, 2021.

“Considering the rising number of compliance and the number of jets that are liable for payment of duties as well as indications by those people to do so, the comptroller-general has again graciously given them another two weeks,” he said.

“The exercise, as I stated in our previous briefings, is not intended to be punitive or to embarrass them but to ensure that these private jets that operate in the country are properly documented.

“And also, to ensure every collectable revenue is collected into the coffers of the federal government.”

Attah said the exercise has created an opportunity for the NCS to differentiate those planes on commercial operations from those owned and used for private purposes.

He reiterated that whoever fails to turn up for the exercise will have his/her aircraft impounded, adding that the verification extension (deadline) will be the last.