Nigeria Customs Service denies allegations of secret auctions after leaked letters showed alleged direct allocations of seized containers to private firms
The Nigeria Customs Service has denied allegations that it secretly auctioned seized containers and vehicles to politically connected individuals without following due process.
Also read: UBA Business Series Champions Authenticity, Consistency
This follows internal documents obtained by The PUNCH showing several letters titled “Direct Auction Allocation of Containers” and signed between April and July 2025 by Comptroller H. H. Hadison, of the Customs Special Duties Department.
The documents, bearing the seal of the Customs Committee on Direct Disposal of General Goods, allegedly approved the allocation of containers containing vehicles, prefabricated houses, tiles, and hospital equipment at auction fees ranging from ₦1 million to ₦2 million.
At least five letters reviewed by The PUNCH carried identical wording and formatting, raising questions about possible insider involvement.
One letter dated 31 July 2025 authorised the release of four containers loaded with luxury vehicles — including Lexus RX330s and Toyota Highlanders — at Tin Can Island Port, Lagos, for a combined fee of ₦2 million.
Auctioneers and trade observers have described the pattern as inconsistent with statutory procedures.
Under the Customs and Excise Management Act and the 2023 Nigeria Customs Service Act, seized or overtime goods must be auctioned through public notice or the Service’s e-auction platform, not private allocations.
The President of the Association of Licensed Auctioneers of Nigeria, Musa Kurra, accused the Service of “reckless disregard for due process” and described the letters as evidence of “impunity in the handling of public assets.”
Kurra further alleged that the uniform ₦2 million fee per container suggested a pre-arranged scheme that undermined the valuation principles guiding legitimate auctions.
“The impunity with which the Service is carrying out things now is better imagined,” he said.
However, reacting to the claims, the Customs spokesperson, Chief Superintendent Ahmed Maiwada, dismissed the reports as “baseless and misleading.”
“What type of auctions are they referring to?” he asked. “You only need an auctioneer when you want to auction items that were budgeted for and are no longer serviceable. Seized or forfeited items are handled internally under the Customs Act.”
Maiwada stressed that all disposal processes — whether by direct request or electronic auction — follow established criteria for valuation and transparency.
He explained that the disposal of overtime cargo aims primarily at decongesting ports, not raising revenue.
“The issue of cronies or whatever they are saying, it is left for them to provide evidence of that. I am not aware of such claims,” he added.
Also read: Nigeria Customs seizes N13.5bn drugs in Onne
While the Nigeria Customs Service maintains its auctions are compliant with law, stakeholders continue to call for independent oversight and public access to auction records to safeguard accountability within the Service.
David Okere is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering business, governance, public affairs, and human-interest stories with a commitment to accuracy, balance, and public interest reporting.
