Thread by @DrJoeAbah

MY CUSTOMS EXPERIENCE: Coming back into the country, I was pleased how smoothly everything worked at Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja. I presented my UK Negative Covid test and proof that I had paid for another test in Nigeria after 7 days. They checked & I was let through. Thread..

Immigration @nigimmigration was smooth. The officers welcomed me back home with a smile. We bantered about which one I had missed most: Jollof rice or Suya? It felt good to be back home. Luggages came out on time too. Free self-service trolley. No stress. Now on to @CustomsNG

As I got to Customs, I was asked to scan my suitcases. Much better than people touching my private stuff and asking me what is there. @CustomsNG officer too was very polite. Of my three suitcases, he was only interested in one. He said I had a gadget in it that he wanted to see.

I said yes, I bought a new CCTV system. I showed him and his colleagues. He asked me how much I paid for it and I told him. He asked for the receipt and I showed him from my Amazon order. He said it is subject to import duty because of the value. I said no problem.

He then went and did a computer printout of the applicable duty: N34,000 & some change. I asked him: “How do I pay?” He said “We have a bank here. You’ll pay at the bank.” To be honest, I was happy. Nobody was harassing me. Nobody was offering to “help.” I wasn’t begging anyone.

I took the invoice to the @FirstBankngr at the terminal only to be told that they only collect cash. I told them I didn’t have any cash on me. There was a lady behind with a brand new pair of designer shoes. They valued her shoes at $500 and she too wanted to pay. No cash.

The @CustomsNG people asked us to leave our luggage and go immediately outside where there were money changers and “POS” people. I did a transfer of N35,000 to a POS guy and he charged me N1,500. I then had to come back into the secure area that clearly said “No Entry.”

I kept feeling “This is not right.” The POS guy could have given me something to take inside the secure area. Na waa. I went back in, thinking “At least the duty is going into a government account, not the pockets of @CustomsNG officers.” I paid. But I had questions...

I asked the guy at @FirstBankngr why they only take cash? He said it’s because different components go to different arms of government. Duty goes to @CustomsNG but the VAT I paid goes to @firsNigeria. I told him that this is no reason to insist on cash only.

I told him to give me the multiple accounts so that I can can credit them individually. He said it wasn’t possible. I asked why then I couldn’t pay by card into one account and they can distribute it afterwards, especially as the government operates a Treasury Single Account.

He said he was only acting on instructions. I called over the @CustomsNG officers and told them I intended to complain to the Comptroller General about the cash payment. They encouraged me to do so. I will. Today. As I left them, @FAAN_Official too charged me N2,000. Cash too.

I am supportive of @CustomsNG charging appropriate duties for imported goods that qualify but insisting on cash payment is wrong. It is a loophole and I know how it could be abused. Whether the @FirstBankngr account I was asked to pay into belongs to FGN, I don’t even know.

I don’t know whether the charge by @FAAN_Official was legal. I intend to check. The guy couldn’t explain to me why I was pay N2,000 after paying N35,000 to @CustomsNG. He said it’s orders from above. E dey like I go take the rest of the week off, take do small wahala o. 😂 End.

Oh so, the court has even declared what they are doing as illegal? Let me pursue a refund. nairametrics.com/2020/05/14/cou…

UPDATE: @FirstBankngr has confirmed that the bank account I paid cash into does indeed belong to @CustomsNG. They have promised to work with them to provide alternative payment options other than cash. At least that part has been clarified.