Customs releases impounded trucks after CGC’s intervention at bonded terminal
Nigeria Customs Service Releases 36 Trucks Impounded at Lagos Terminal
By Godwin Oritse
LAGOS — The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has released 36 trucks owned by members of the Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO) that were detained during an investigation into potential trade violations at Zarmmak Bonded Terminal in the Amuwo Odofin area.
The trucks were seized by Customs officials from the Zone ‘A’ Federal Operations Unit (FOU) after the terminal was closed due to suspected breaches of customs regulations. While the details of the alleged infractions have not been publicly disclosed, the incident has disrupted trucking operations and raised concerns among transport operators about potential financial losses.
AMATO Secretary-General Sani Mohammed confirmed the trucks’ release, noting that it followed the intervention of Comptroller-General of Customs Adewale Adeniyi, who acted after multiple appeals from the association. Mohammed stated that the truck owners asserted they were not involved in the alleged infractions and should not bear the consequences of the terminal’s operations.
“The intervention of the Comptroller-General has brought significant relief to our members who had suffered avoidable financial losses due to the prolonged detention of their trucks,” Mohammed said.
In a statement, AMATO expressed gratitude to the Customs chief for what it described as a swift and compassionate response that underscores the agency’s commitment to facilitating trade and engaging with stakeholders. The association indicated that the release of the trucks would allow affected operators to resume business and reduce the financial impact of the disruption.
Comptroller Aliyu Gambo, head of the Zone ‘A’ Federal Operations Unit, emphasized that the enforcement action was necessary to ensure compliance with existing customs laws.
Attempts to contact the management of Zarmmak Bonded Terminal for comment were unsuccessful, and messages sent to the FOU Controller had not received a response at the time of publication.
