By Isaac Anumihe

Nigeria Customs Service, (NCS) has impounded some bullet-proof vehicles   from a park in Ikoyi, Lagos.

According to the Customs, the operation was based on intelligence reports and ownership of the vehicles remains a mystery as nobody has come forward to claim them.

Mohammed Garba, the Customs Area Controller, FOU, said similar vehicles were also seized from car parks around Lagos.

“Our operatives trailed and evacuated 59 assorted vehicles from car marts in Ikoyi of which over 40 are 2017 models ranging from Toyota Prado Jeeps, Lexus Jeeps, Toyota Hilux, Toyota Camry, Coaster Bus, Toyota Hiace Bus among others currently under detention awaiting relevant customs documents from the dealers within a grace of one month,” Mr. Garba said.

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“Some are even bullet-proof which require End User Certificates from the Office of the National Security Adviser, NSA.

“We removed these (bullet proof) vehicles from a hidden house in Ikoyi while others were taken from a car park in FESTAC.

“Investigation will reveal those behind the clearance of these vehicles and (they) must face the full wrath of the law.”

Mr. Garba further said the Duty Paid Value of the vehicles is N1.1 billion (N1,076,895,727), adding that the service would sell the vehicles through the court if the owners do not show up within a month.

Meanwhile, the Controller,  Federal  Operations Unit (FOU), Ikeja, Lagos,  Comptroller Mohammed Uba, said that the unit raked in over N1.4 billion in one month. He said the haul was made between October 4 and October 31, 2017. The seized items, he said, include, 6,206 bags of foreign parboiled rice of 50 kg. This number, he explained, is more than 10 trailers. Other seizures are 67 bales of secondhand clothing, 600  cartons of foreign poultry products, 13 parcels of Indian Hemp, 405 pieces of used tyres and 54 kegs of  foreign vegetable oil.