Car dealers under the umbrella of the Association of Motor Dealers of Nigeria, AMDON, South-West Zone, staged a protest on Monday in Akure, Ondo State, accusing operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, of harassment, extortion, and unlawful seizure of vehicles.
The protesters, who converged on the headquarters of the Ondo/Ekiti Customs Command, carried placards with inscriptions such as “We pay duty, stop the harassment,” “Customs, uphold the law, not extortion,” and “Release our vehicles.”
They alleged that despite clearing their vehicles at the Lagos ports, customs officers continued to intercept them on highways, subjecting their cars to arbitrary revaluation and demanding additional unofficial payments.
Speaking during the protest, Alhaji Ibrahim Adeniyi, National Vice President of AMDON, said the demonstration was long overdue, noting that customs officers had consistently exploited members despite their compliance with import regulations.
“We came here because of the way they embarrass us. They stop us on the road, seize our vehicles, and issue fresh bills even after we have cleared them at the ports.
“They collect money at the port, and still collect more on our roads. This is pure exploitation, and we are here en masse to fight for our rights,” Adeniyi said.
He explained that the dealers, who came from across the South-West, Ondo, Ekiti, Oyo, Lagos, and Ogun States, decided to speak out against what they described as unjust practices.
Adeniyi, however, commended the State Comptroller of Customs, Mrs Queen Obazee, for meeting with the protesters and pledging to investigate their complaints.
According to him, Obazee stated that no directive authorising such harassment came from her office.
Meanwhile, the NCS, in a statement signed by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Mr Aondoakura Dzungwenen, reaffirmed its commitment to professionalism and transparency.
The statement read in part: “In the spirit of accountability, the command has engaged representatives of the Auto Dealers Association on the matter.
“During the meeting, assurances were given that measures are being implemented to streamline operations and prevent future incidents that may be misinterpreted as unprofessional conduct. Members of the association have also tendered an apology to the service.”
The NCS added that additional training had been approved for officers, covering operational engagement, enforcement, stakeholder relations, and reputation management, to strengthen compliance and boost public trust.
The statement urged stakeholders to use established channels to report grievances and avoid hasty judgments based on unverified allegations, stressing that the Service remains committed to discharging its statutory responsibilities with fairness, integrity, and respect for the rule of law.
South-West auto dealers storm customs office over alleged harassment, extortion