Court Awards N500m Against Customs for Sealing Car Shops

The Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the Nigeria Customs Service to pay the sum of N500m to the Registered Trustees of Auto Dealers for unlawful invasion and sealing of their carmarts since September 30, 2019.

The auto dealers, through their lawyer, Ubani & Co, sued the Nigerian Customs Service Board, the Chairman, Nigerian Customs Service Board, and the Comptroller General,  Nigerian Customs to challenge the invasion.

In their suit marked FHC/L/CS/665/2021, the plaintiffs asked the court to determine whether the defendants had any power, authority, or justification to invade and seal their members’ business premises, on the grounds that vehicles in their shows were smuggled.

The court, in a judgment on December 27, 2023, by Justice Abimbola Awogboro,  ordered the Customs to immediately unseal the plaintiffs’ business premises and pay them N500m in damages.

The judge said Customs had no justification to continue invading and sealing the car dealer premises on the grounds that the vehicles in their car shops had earlier been inspected, assessed, and cleared at the port by officers of the Customs.