Customs blocks exit access of Five Star Logistics over N97.3m debt

The Association of Nigerian Licenced Customs Agents (ANLCA) says the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has deactivated Five Star Logistics Ltd. terminal from its portal.

Kayode Farinto, acting president of ANLCA, confirmed the development on Friday in a statement in Lagos.

Farinto said the situation was due to unpaid assessment running into millions of naira.

“It has been brought to the notice of the National Executive Committee (NECOM) that our members are unable to exit the already released vehicles and cargoes from the Five Star Logistics,” Farinto said.

“This is because the terminal operator has been deactivated from Customs portal as a result of unpaid assessment running into millions of naira.

“We wish to inform our members that ANLCA is on top of this issue and we are saddened about the development,” he said.

He, however, said that Five Star should know that they would be responsible for all demurrages and storage charges that may accrue within these periods (July 6 to date).

“I urge our members to be calm and law-abiding and to keep the receipts of all payments during these periods,” he added.

Meanwhile, Uche Ejesieme, the public relations officer, TinCan Island Port command, who confirmed the deactivation, said that the terminal was owing up to N97.3 million unpaid assessment.

Ejesieme said the system had a way of updating itself, noting that it was in the cause of examination of certain transactions that the matter came up.

“On July 7, the exit access of the Five Star Logistics was blocked by the Nigerian Customs Service following an investigation which revealed an unpaid assessment to the tune of N97.3 million,” Ejesieme told NAN.

“Customs asked them to pay and the only condition for unblocking their access is the payment of the unpaid assessment.

“Even after payment and we discover that there was no justification for that, there is room for refund.”