N30trn customs probe: Senate summons Emeifele, Adeosun

The senate has summoned Godwin Emeifele, governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Kemi Adeosun, minister of finance, over a N30 trillion import duties infraction.

They are expected to appear before the committee on customs on Tuesday alongside, Babatunde Fowler, chairman of Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and managing directors of some commercial banks.

Hope Uzodinma, chairman of the customs committee, said the lawmakers would meet and discuss the findings of the legislators with those they invited.

He said the meeting was important because it would identify areas of revenue leakages “and to what extent all these monies have been carted away.”

”The governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria has been directed to appear with the managing directors of all commercial banks responsible for collecting import duties and levies on behalf of the federal government,” he said.

”All managing directors are expected to be here in person as the committee will not allow representation. We will also invite FIRS that has the statutory responsibility of ensuring that all taxable issues are resolved as and at when due.

”We are also inviting CAC that has the identity of the operating companies in Nigeria. The Nigerian Customs Service, the Department of Trade and Exchange of the CBN are expected at the meeting.

“We will meet to discuss our findings with them and ask questions. We will then move into companies that are currently operating what we call cartel in the country.

”These companies have evaded so much taxes running into so much money that government would have used for the provision of social services and critical infrastructure.

”You will recall that the senate mandated the committee to investigate the entire import and export value chain. We have done some preliminary investigation and we have identified areas of infractions and we have collected necessary documents from relevant agencies of government and the private sector.”

The senator added that the committee would engage the anti-graft agencies to prosecute culprits at the end of its finding which would serve as a deterrent.