Importer alleges fraud in Tincan Island port

An importer had accused the Tincan Island Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) of shortchanging the government by suspending the digital Vehicle Registration System (VREG) introduced by the Buhari administration.

The importer (names withheld), who contacted The Guardian, lamented that the act had been going on unchecked by the NCS.

According to him, importers are meant to get their goods accessed and pay the government’s duty using the digital Vehicle Registration System (VREG).

He noted that the system introduced by the Buhari administration has been effective, with goods accessed within two days of arrival and duty paid, but since January 2024, the VREG system has not been up.

He said, “This exploited service known as 846 is for cars not captured within the system. However, the command encourages agents to alter the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) of cars to beat the system. This action is not just a matter of policy but a direct assault on the livelihoods of honest importers.

“The encouragement of short payments and deliberate delays in job assessment for vessels arriving at the port has led to significant financial losses for importers, who are forced to pay demurrage due to this mischief.”

The importer further alleged that the command collected N500,000 from agents to give them this short payment on 846.

“This misdoing needs to be exposed because it affects the end users, who will be made to pay for the excessive bills. We urgently need the Comptroller General of Customs to intervene. He must tell his boys to allow the custom system to be up and stop punishing innocent importers by not accessing jobs immediately after they arrive. This is a critical step towards rectifying the situation at the Tincan Port.
“This has great implications for the cost of goods coming from the port. By operating manually, where all the documents would go to the table of the Comptroller, the delay in giving duty and terminal charges has led to importers paying for demurrage, which costs N27,000 per day and doubles a week later.

“Everything must go to his table, and importers of vehicles from 2016 below pay N300,000 per bill of laden and, from 2016 upward, pay between N400,000 and N500,000. The bribe is being received through a UBA account number,” he added.

Responding to the allegations, the spokesperson for the Tincan Island Customs Area Command, Ngozi Okwara, said: “VREG is automated in the system using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and cannot be suspended, least suspended by a Comptroller who advocates for automation in all the processes of Customs, in line with the CGC’s policy thrust.

“Please note that VREG is used by all seaport commands where vehicles are imported into the country, not just by Tincan Island Port Command (TCIP).

“Finally, let me ask for proof of the allegation of the said amount if collected by whomever. Kindly advise such persons to feel free to see the PRO or drop their complaints in the complaint box stationed at various areas of the command whenever they seem to have any issues.”