The Federal Government through the Nigeria Customs Service has approved the extension of the verification exercise for private jet owners by one month, from Monday, 14th October 2024, to Thursday, 14th November 2024.
A statement signed by the Customs Spokesperson, Abdullahi Maiwada, posted on the Facebook handle of the service on Monday, said the extension is to further engage operators who have expressed willingness to regularize their import duties.
The latest development follows an exclusive report by The PUNCH that the government will ground over 60 private jets owned by very important persons in the country over unpaid import duty running into several billions of naira.
According to documents exchanged between the NCS and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, which were exclusively sighted by The PUNCH, the enforcement exercise was scheduled to commence on October 14th, 2024.
But the service in a new directive said it has provided an additional window to comply with the necessary regulations.
The statement read, “The Nigeria Customs Service wishes to inform the general public, particularly operators of privately-owned aircraft, that the verification exercise for the recovery of import duties on illegally imported private aircraft has been extended by one month, from Monday, 14th October 2024, to Thursday, 14th November 2024.
“This extension aims to further engage operators who have expressed willingness to regularize their import duties, providing them with an additional window to comply with the necessary regulations.
“The NCS is committed to ensuring that all illegally imported aircraft meet the legal requirements, thereby promoting transparency and accountability in the aviation sector.”
The statement added, “In light of this extension, the NCS encourages aircraft operators to take full advantage of the extended period to fulfil their obligations, avoiding sanctions that may arise from non-compliance after the deadline.
“The Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, reiterates the Service’s dedication to enforcing the laws governing import duties and maintaining the integrity of Nigeria’s aviation sector. He further appreciates the cooperation and understanding of stakeholders in this ongoing exercise.”
