Car dealers across Lagos State, whose sales outlets were shut down by officers of the Nigeria Customs Service in search of cars smuggled via the land borders, have condemned what they describe as harassment and attempt by the NCS to label them as smugglers.
The dealers condemned the Gestapo style the shutdown was carried out and bemoaned the huge losses suffered since the exercise took place.
They added that they were responsible citizens of Nigeria contributing massively to the economy of the country through employment of a good number of Nigerians and payment of over N20bn as duty to the Federal Government.
One of the major dealers who was listed in the crackdown, Stallion Group, however, denied being affected by the exercise.
Speaking to our correspondent on Monday, the Head, Marketing, Stallion Motors, Arpita Luthra, while commending the exercise by the Customs, said the firm’s sales outlet was not affected.
She said, “Stallion Group has significantly invested in assembly plants in Nigeria and we are promoting locally-assembled new cars.
”We are not in the business of used cars at all.
”The crackdown by the NCS on certain auto dealers is a great move to stop the smuggling of used cars through the porous borders.”
Reacting to the shutdown of the firm’s car sales mart, the General Manager, Marketing and Corporate Communications, Coscharis Group, Abiona Babarinde, said the company was at loss as to what was going on.
He said Coscharis represents international companies of repute and that the action of the Customs would run counterproductive to the government’s foreign investment drive and Nigeria’s ease of doing business index.
He assured their foreign partners, customers and stakeholders that they were not involved in smuggling of vehicles.
Babarinde said, “We don’t understand what is happening yet but we cooperate with all agencies of government and if the Customs need any information about our business, they ought to ask instead of sealing our showrooms, and thereafter asking us to come for a meeting.