The House of Representatives will conduct a thorough investigation into the loss of government revenue on account of the diversion of bonded containers, inaccurate excise duty computations, the expiration of temporary importation bonds, and the non-remittance of customs duties and levies.
The resolution was sequel to the adoption of a motion sponsored by Hon. Hassan Shehu Hussain (NNPP, Kano) during Wednesday’s plenary session.
Presenting the motion, Hon. Hussain explained that bonded terminals and fast-track warehouses were established to decongest the seaports, facilitate trade, and enhance government revenue generation.
He lamented that the unlawful activities of some bonded terminal and warehouse operators have defeated those objectives, posing serious threats to both economic stability and national security.
Many containers that are supposed to be transferred under the escort and supervision of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), with bonds covering their full value, he said, are often diverted before reaching their designated destinations.
According to him, the contents of such diverted consignments remain unknown and could include dangerous substances such as tramadol or even arms and ammunition, which he said could endanger public safety.
He noted that while the Federal Government grants tax or excise holidays to new manufacturing firms, typically for an initial three-year period, some beneficiaries exploit the incentive by persistently evading excise payments after their grace periods lapse.
He added that manual assessment and collection of duties in some cases also lead to inaccurate records and under-remittance of funds to the Federation Account.
He expressed concern over the abuse of the Temporary Importation (TI) scheme, which allows investors to bring in vessels, aircraft, and heavy equipment without paying import duties for a limited time, provided that a bond equivalent to the value is deposited with a financial institution.
He said several companies have failed to redeem their expired bonds or pay the associated customs duties, thereby causing significant revenue leakages to the Federal Government.
He cited the over-importation of sugar and other key commodities beyond government-approved quotas as another major source of revenue loss, noting that such infractions have cost the nation billions of naira.
The House directed the Comptroller-General of Customs to strengthen oversight of bonded container movements and ensure proper supervision of officers assigned to escorts.
The House further urged the NCS to deploy advanced tracking technology to monitor the movement of bonded containers from ports of origin to their final destinations, guaranteeing transparency and full payment of all statutory duties.