Customs Agents Cry Out, Accuse Lagos Wharf Landing Fees Operatives of Indiscriminate Seizure of Vehicles
Customs agents at the Tin Can Island ports have cried out over allegation of indiscriminate arrests of vehicles being cleared at the ports by officials of the Lagos State Wharf Landing Fees Collecting Authority (LSWLFCA).
Sources told SHIPPING DAY that officials of the agency last week impounded vehicles on the allegation that the customs agents were trying to evade payment of the wharf landing fees.
The LSWLFCA officials are being accused of demanding as much as N100,000 per vehicle after seizure.
Last week, it was gathered that the officials had issues with customs agents whose vehicles were passed through Liverpool bridge by LASTMA officials because of gridlock.
The LSWLFCA officials had on arresting the vehicles issued a fine of N100,000 each.
But angered by the development that the seizure was illegal since the vehicles passed the Liverpool route on the instruction of LASTMA officials because of the traffic, some customs agents had mobilised and visited the Marine road yard where the seized vehicles were forcefully released.
This was when every plea by the Chapter chairmen of one of the customs agents associations to the LSWLFCA officials fell into deaf ears.
The chairman had explained to the officials that the vehicles they arrested were not in any way trying to evade payment of fees but were passed by the Lastma officials to ease congestion on the road.
Although the number of vehicles released could not be ascertained, it was gathered that the incident had angered the LSWLFCA officials who threatened to use soldiers against the customs agents.
The agents had complained bitterly about alleged extortion by the LSWLFCA, adding that it was becoming too much for some of the agency officials.
A customs agent who spoke under anonymity said, “we cannot just fold our hands and see clear injustice meted. How can these people seize vehicles on the excuse that we are trying to evade payment of fees when it was Lastma that asked these vehicles to take this route.
“Because of gridlock most vehicles are passed through the other end of the roundabout by LASTMA Officials, the Wharf Landing agent usually feels the Tokunbos are trying to avoid paying their fees, in view of this they apprehend and seize these vehicles and took the vehicles to their yard in Marine road, they have started issuing a 100k ticket fine for the ones they apprehended, all efforts to make them understand that it was LASTMA that passed them through the alternative route fell on deaf ears”.
Under the Lagos law, LSWLFCA collects N200 for cars, N500 for SUVs.
The LSWLFCA Public Relations Officer, Mike Opute, could not be reached for his reaction as at the time of filing this report.
Sources told SHIPPING DAY that officials of the agency last week impounded vehicles on the allegation that the customs agents were trying to evade payment of the wharf landing fees.
The LSWLFCA officials are being accused of demanding as much as N100,000 per vehicle after seizure.
Last week, it was gathered that the officials had issues with customs agents whose vehicles were passed through Liverpool bridge by LASTMA officials because of gridlock.
The LSWLFCA officials had on arresting the vehicles issued a fine of N100,000 each.
But angered by the development that the seizure was illegal since the vehicles passed the Liverpool route on the instruction of LASTMA officials because of the traffic, some customs agents had mobilised and visited the Marine road yard where the seized vehicles were forcefully released.
This was when every plea by the Chapter chairmen of one of the customs agents associations to the LSWLFCA officials fell into deaf ears.
The chairman had explained to the officials that the vehicles they arrested were not in any way trying to evade payment of fees but were passed by the Lastma officials to ease congestion on the road.
Although the number of vehicles released could not be ascertained, it was gathered that the incident had angered the LSWLFCA officials who threatened to use soldiers against the customs agents.
The agents had complained bitterly about alleged extortion by the LSWLFCA, adding that it was becoming too much for some of the agency officials.
A customs agent who spoke under anonymity said, “we cannot just fold our hands and see clear injustice meted. How can these people seize vehicles on the excuse that we are trying to evade payment of fees when it was Lastma that asked these vehicles to take this route.
“Because of gridlock most vehicles are passed through the other end of the roundabout by LASTMA Officials, the Wharf Landing agent usually feels the Tokunbos are trying to avoid paying their fees, in view of this they apprehend and seize these vehicles and took the vehicles to their yard in Marine road, they have started issuing a 100k ticket fine for the ones they apprehended, all efforts to make them understand that it was LASTMA that passed them through the alternative route fell on deaf ears”.
Under the Lagos law, LSWLFCA collects N200 for cars, N500 for SUVs.
The LSWLFCA Public Relations Officer, Mike Opute, could not be reached for his reaction as at the time of filing this report.
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