The President of the Nigeria Association of Auctioneers (NAA), Mallam Musa Kurra, has again accused the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) of engaging in the unlawful sale of seized and forfeited items, including high-value national assets.
Kurra, who addressed journalists last week, said the recent allegations mirror incidents he previously raised in 2022. He claimed that documents tagged “Direct Auction Allocation” show that containers loaded with luxury vehicles, hospital equipment, and construction materials were allocated to private companies for between N1 million and N2 million each.
According to him, the transactions violated the legal frameworks governing the disposal of seized or overtime goods.He cited the Customs and Excise Management Act and the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023, which require auctions to be conducted through public notices or via the official e-auction platform.Kurra alleged that the reported sales were conducted without public bidding, licensed auctioneers, or proper oversight, raising concerns about transparency and compliance with established procedures.
However, the Nigeria Customs Service has denied the allegations. A senior customs officer, H. H. Hadison, said in a statement published on November 7, 2025, that all sales conducted by the service followed due process and were in line with statutory guidelines.The NAA also accused some senior Customs officials of breaching the Public Procurement Act 2007 and the Proceeds of Crime (Recovery and Management) Act 2022 (POCA).
Under POCA, seized or forfeited assets are required to be managed by the Proceeds of Crime Management Directorate, with proceeds paid into the Confiscated and Forfeited Assets Account at the Central Bank of Nigeria.Kurra alleged that Customs continues to seize, value, and auction items internally, functions that POCA separates to prevent conflicts of interest.
He warned that the alleged bypassing of established procedures could result in significant revenue losses for the country.The NAA said it has submitted petitions to the National Assembly, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), calling for a forensic audit of Customs’ operations and revenue management since 2022.The association also urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene and ensure full compliance with asset-disposal regulations.The Nigeria Customs Service has yet to issue any new public statement in response to the fresh allegations.
