In The News: Customs Impound Senator’s 13 Cars
Even as the Senate/Customs imbroglio continues, there are signs that the gulf between both them may widen as there are reasons for Nigerian senators to be angry with Hameed Ali, a retired colonel, heading the Nigerian Customs Service as Comptroller-General.
The Compliance Task Force that Ali set up has just impounded 223 vehicles, 13 of which belong to a senator in Kano state. The Task Force Zonal Commander, Mr Bala Dole, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kano on Monday. He said the vehicles, belonging to the unidentified senator were; 12 new Toyota Hilux and one Land Cruiser Jeep. Dole, who declined to name the said Senator, said the 13 vehicles were trailed from Maigatari in Jigawa, following an intelligence report, indicating they were smuggled into Nigeria via land borders.
“Based on the intelligence report, the vehicles were 30 in number but we were able to trail 13 of them 12 of which were hidden in the senator’s compound. “We sealed the house and retrieved the vehicles and they are now in our custody,” Dole said.
The identity of the senator will remain a guessing game for now. There are three senators representing Kano State. They are Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Kano central; Barau Jibrin, Kano North and Kabiru Ibrahim Gaya, Kano South. All are representing the All Progressives Congress. The task force also said that it seized other items, including foodstuff worth N269.5 million in Kano and Jigawa states within eight months. The items included 9,757 bags of rice, 2,916 of foreign supergetti, 2,770 cartons of foreign vegetable oil and 999 cartons of macaroni. He said others were; 889 veils of second hand clothes, 50 used school bags, 110 cartons of new foreign shoes, 956 bags of mosquito coil and six fairly used cars.
“The total value of the seizure made by the task force since it was established in July 2016, excluding the 13 Senator’s vehicles, is N269.5 million. “We are yet to determine the cost of the 13 vehicles belonging to the Senator“.
