Why we laid siege to Abuja hotel -Customs

The Nigeria Customs Service says it raided Fraser Suites, Abuja, after receiving an intelligence that some exotic cars without duty payment were parked in the hotel.

Joseph Attah, customs spokesman, said the service learnt the cars, suspected to have been smuggled into the country, were removed from a car mart.

NigerianEye had reported that operatives of the service had besieged the hotel after seizing six cars parked there on Wednesday night.

In a statement on Thursday, Attah said the cars were seized pending a confirmation that they were not smuggled.

He also denied the guests at the hotel were asked to come out of their rooms.

“The attention of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has been drawn to misinformation making the rounds concerning visit of our operatives to an Abuja hotel to remove suspected smuggled vehicles Thursday,” he said.

“Our operatives, relying on intelligence that owners of some exotic cars (including bullet proof) without duty payment quickly removed their vehicles from a car mart and took same to Frasier Hotel, Abuja.

“On arrival at the hotel, our operatives interacted with the manager and eventually left with 4 vehicles leaving 6 behind, while expecting the manager to provide the keys to the cars left behind.

“However, the manager Thursday morning gave a written undertaking to produce a Customs vehicle duty payment documents to support his claim that the vehicles were not smuggled.

“We assured him of prompt release of the vehicles as soon as evidence of appropriate duty payments are presented.

“Unfortunately, we woke up to mischievous misrepresentation of an otherwise professional engagement with the manager that had nothing to do with the guests in the hotel.

“Some even went as far as saying that the operatives went from room to rooms waking up guests to come out for vehicle verification. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

“NCS did not do such thing and has no intention to start raiding hotels. Our operatives never infringed on the rights and comfort of guests in the hotel.”