Bank's Luxury Jet Confiscated Over Unpaid Import Fees
FG Seizes Bank's Private Jet Over Unpaid Import Duties
Nigerian Government seizes private jet over unpaid import duties, marking the start of a crackdown on non-compliant owners. The Nigeria Customs Service launches a verification exercise to recover billions of naira in unpaid duties.
The Nigerian Government, through the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), has seized a US-registered Gulfstream G650ER jet belonging to a prominent Nigerian bank. This move marks the start of a crackdown on private jet owners who have failed to pay import duties totaling billions of naira.
The NCS launched a one-month verification exercise for private jet owners on June 19, 2024, which is scheduled to end on July 19, 2024. The exercise aims to identify private jet operators who have evaded paying import duties by illegally importing aircraft.
In a public notice, the NCS stated that at least 80 private jet owners are expected to present their import documents and aircraft certificates of registration to the Customs in Abuja during the verification exercise. A similar exercise in 2019 resulted in the recovery of approximately N2 billion for the government.
The verification exercise is part of the NCS's efforts to ensure compliance with import regulations and revenue generation for the government. The agency is determined to crack down on private jet owners who have been evading import duties, and the recent seizure of the Gulfstream G650ER jet is just the beginning.
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has taken further action against the defaulting private jet owner by writing to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA). The NCS requested that these agencies revoke the flight clearance approval for the private aircraft.
Specifically, the NCS instructed NCAA and NAMA to ground the US-registered Gulfstream G650ER jet, which bears the registration number N331AB and manufacturer's serial number 6487. This move is part of the NCS's efforts to enforce compliance with import regulations and recover unpaid duties.
The unpaid import duties of N1.9 billion could surge to approximately N6 billion, considering the current exchange rate, as duties are calculated based on the prevailing rate.
Officials from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) have confirmed receiving the notice to revoke the flight clearance approval for the Gulfstream G650ER aircraft. The luxury jet, valued at over $65 million, was found to have violated the Federal Government's import duty regulations.
As a result, the Customs Service Area Command at Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, denied the aircraft the necessary Export Permit. This move is part of the Nigeria Customs Service's (NCS) efforts to enforce compliance with import regulations and recover unpaid duties.
The letter read in part, “The above subject matter refers. The Nigeria Customs in its drive for enhanced revenue collection decided to do a verification exercise on private airlines operating in Nigeria.
“The verification aims to identify privately owned aircraft that were inappropriately imported into the country. This will enable the Service to perfect these Imports and collect revenue accruable to the Federal Government.
“The verification aims to identify privately owned aircraft that were inappropriately imported into the country. This will enable the Service to perfect these Imports and collect revenue accruable to the Federal Government.
“The above-cited aircraft has been found to have contravened the Federal Government's import duty regulations and as such denied Export Permit by the Customs Service (MMIA Command).
“In furtherance to the above, we are soliciting your kind co-operation and assistance to deny flight clearance approval.”
Two weeks ago, the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Adewale Adeniyi, revealed that several private jets were departing the country as the verification process commenced. He noted that despite the exercise being underway, only a handful of owners had come forward to comply.
Adeniyi's statement suggested that many private jet owners were attempting to evade the verification process, which aims to ensure compliance with import regulations and revenue generation for the government. The NCS's efforts to crack down on non-compliant owners have led to the grounding of the Gulfstream G650ER jet, among others.
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