The Tin can Island command of the Nigeria Customs Service has denied a bribery and corruption allegation leveled against some of its officers posted to the Bonded Terminals by a section of the media, describing it as false.
Some importers and their agents had on Monday carried out a protest over what they alleged as extortion and high handedness of the Officer in charge at the Tin Can gate which they said had been making life at the terminal unbearable and adding to the cost of doing business.
However, a statement from the Public Relations Officer of the command, Mr. Uche Ejesieme, called on the general public to disregard the allegations of extortion, saying the reform agenda of the Customs Area Controller was very emphatic on compliance and due diligence.
Ejesieme said that the command would not lower its standards in enforcing the fiscal policies of the federal government in terms of trade, saying that the position of the Customs Area Controller might appear punitive but was not in any way intended to victimise or frustrate any compliant trader or facility
owner.
“We wish to therefore disabuse the minds of the general public to the allegations of extortion which triggered unnecessary and mindless protest leading to disruption of activities at the Bonded Terminal in question. We hereby enjoin importers and their agents to ensure strict compliance with import guidelines and avoid false declaration which may necessitate actions that might be viewed as high handedness.
“Finally, TCIP as a user friendly port would like to reassure importers and their agents that we are still deeply committed to our resolve to reward compliance and transparency as the task of nation building is a shared responsibility,” the statement said.
