Shoe Dealers Call On Customs Boss To Check Officers' Activities

The Shoes Dealers Association Union has called on the Comptroller-General of Customs, Ahmed Alli, to step in and come to the aid of their members from the incessant and gratuitous harassment of members of the Customs Service.

In a media address, the Organizing Secretary of the association and also a member of the North Multi-various Traders Union of Nigeria, Umar Umar, has said that the association's members are often harassed by customs officers along the Lagos-Jos routes,

He said, “The most annoying aspect of the whole drama was that the customs men demanded and forcefully collected N300, 000 from his members on November, 22 as they were returning home from Lagos to Jos. They were coming from Lagos and the articles they bought were not illegal. They were not contraband materials. But they were arrested and later released after paying the amount.

“Our worry is that last week, we heard the Director-General of Customs saying that his men should not collect any money from traders or stop any vehicle conveying traders. But unfortunately, customs men on the roads have neglected that clarion call, harassing us as if we are going contrary to the country’s aspirations.

“So, we are urging government to take necessary steps to stop the illegal extortion by the customs men on the roads. We buy our goods from markets in Lagos, Aba, and Onitsha recognised by government, and the goods are made in Nigeria.

“Our members are young ones who do not want to just lay idle. What they get from the trade is used to feed their parents and their immediate families of procreation. They don’t want to steal thereby being liabilities to the society.”