US-based Nigerian sues customs over alleged extortion

A former member of Nigeria’s junior national basketball team, David Ode, has sued the Nigerian Customs Service before a Federal High Court in Lagos over alleged extortion. Ode also claimed officers of the service compromised their offices by billing him multiple duties on a luxury car he shipped from his current base in the United […]

A former member of Nigeria’s junior national basketball team, David Ode, has sued the Nigerian Customs Service before a Federal High Court in Lagos over alleged extortion.

Ode also claimed officers of the service compromised their offices by billing him multiple duties on a luxury car he shipped from his current base in the United States to Nigeria.

Ode brought the application through his counsel, Benjamin Odeh Esq seeking the sum of N50 million in damages against the Nigeria Customs Service over the impounding of his shipped car and extortion.

He said the Mazda Car CX9 which he shipped on December 9, 2016 was assessed upon arrival in Lagos by men of the Customs after it was cleared by one Eze Collins at the Tin Can Island Port, and was intercepted along Ijebu Ode road axis on its way to Benue State by operatives of the Customs and subsequently impounded and detained unlawfully for over one week.

“Upon shipment, I paid the sum of N850,000 to the agent for clearing of the car. But to my dismay, the customs receipt via Zenith Bank account showed he paid N384, 505.00. I was subsequently forced to pay to the Customs another N750, 664.00 as duty when the car was impounded. This is separate from all other monies they extorted from us,” he said in the suit.

Hearing in the matter continues in October.