The Nigeria Customs have explained why it’s men laid siege to an Abuja high brow hotel on Thursday.
Prominent critic and coalition of opposition parties spokesman, Ikenga Ugochinyere had raised an alarm over the raid saying the Customs personnel also blocked foreign diplomats and other guests that lodged at the hotel.
Ugochinyere, described the ‘raid’ as barbaric actions that were last witnessed during the days of Ex-Head of State, General Sani Abacha.
However, the Nigeria Customs, in a statement signed by it’s Public Relations Officer, Joseph Attah said the allegation about it’s men were unfounded as they only visited the hotel based on intelligence report that some vehicles whose owners evaded duty payments were parked in the hotel.
“The attention of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has been drawn to misinformation making the rounds concerning visit of our operatives to an Abuja hotel to remove suspected smuggled vehicles yesterday.
“Our operatives, relying on intelligence that owners of some exotic cars ( including bulle- proof) without duty payment quickly removed their vehicles from a car mart and took same to the hotel Abuja.
“On arrival at the hotel, our operatives interacted with the manager and eventually left with 4 vehicles, leaving 6 behind, while expecting the manager to provide the keys to the cars left behind.
“However, the manager this morning gave a written undertaking to produce a Customs vehicle duty payment documents to support his claim that the vehicles were not smuggled.
“We assured him of prompt release of the vehicles as soon as evidence of appropriate duty payments are presented.
Unfortunately , we woke up to mischievous misrepresentation of an otherwise professional engagement with the manager that had nothing to do with the guests in the hotel.
“Some even went as far as saying that the operatives went from room to room waking up guests to come out for vehicle verification. Nothing could be farther from the truth.
“NCS did not do such thing and has no intention to start raiding hotels.
Our operatives never infringed on the rights and comfort of guests in the hotel.
While advising Nigerians to be wary of social posts, we urge members of the public to discountenance the fabrication as NCS will continue to work in the interest of Nigerians” the statement read