By Chioma Iruke
The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) has been given the go ahead to ground 91 private jets belonging to some wealthy Nigerians over their alleged refusal to pay import duties running to over N30bn, recent documents reveal.
According to a letter by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col Hameed Ali, (retd.) following the directive by the Nigerian Government, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) have been asked to ground the affected private jets with immediate effect.
The letter, with reference number NCS/T&T/ACG/042/s.100/VOL.II, which was dated November 2, 2021, was addressed to the Director-General of the NCAA, Capt. Musa Nuhu.
The letter directed NCAA, NAMA and FAAN to ground the private jets by denying them administrative and operational flight clearances indefinitely.
The letters were received by the aviation agencies on November 8, 2021.
According to documents sighted, the NCS letter to NAMA was delivered with reference code 19755747 by courier, while the NCS letter to FAAN was referenced 19755746, also by a courier firm.
The NCS letter, which was delivered to the NCAA, was also referenced 19755748 by a courier firm.
It was titled, ‘Recovery of Aviation Import Duty on Privately Owned Aircraft Operating in the Country.’
The NCAA letter read in part, “The Federal Government in its drive for enhanced revenues has mandated the Nigeria Customs Service to immediately recover from defaulting private aircraft owners the required statutory import duties on their imported aircraft.
“You may wish to recall the verification exercise conducted by the NCS, initially scheduled for a 14 day period, but magnanimously extended over a 60-day period from 7th June through 6 August 2021, following a World Press Conference held on 31st May 2021. The outcome of the aforementioned verification exercise is a compilation of all private aircraft imported into the country without payment of statutory import duty.
“The Nigeria Custom Service, in line with its statutory functions, is empowered by Part 111 Sections 27, 35, 37, 45,46, 47, 52, 56,63 & 64; Part XI Sections 144, 145, 155, 160, 161& 164 and Part XII Sections 167, 168, 169, 173 & 174 of the Customs and Excise Management Act.”
“In this regard therefore, your full cooperation is being solicited to ensure the success of this initiative and that all such private aircraft owners or representatives are denied administrative and operational flight clearances indefinitely, until an NCS issued Aircraft Clearance Certificate is procured and presented to your organisation as proof of compliance.
“For the avoidance of doubt, ALL aircraft operated in accordance with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority’s regulation for the issuance of Permit for Non-Commercial Flight and those issued with Flight Operations Clearance Certificate and Maintenance Clearance Certificate accordingly are affected by this directive.
“Please find attached the list of all verified aircraft and indeed others of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority’s register, which may not have come forward for your record and necessary action. Strict compliance with this directive is to be ensured. Please accept the assurances of my highest regards and esteem as always,” it read further.
