The Nigeria Customs Service has summoned the National President, Nigeria Association of Auctioneers, Alhaji Musa Kurra, to appear before a panel over a publication in The PUNCH on the alleged illegal sales of vehicles as scraps by the service.
The NCS, in an invitation to Kurra dated October 24, 2022, ordered him to appear before the panel on November 8 (today) with documents to buttress his allegations against the agency.
The PUNCH had reported the sales of hundreds of vehicles seized from smugglers by the Customs.
The vehicles, which are of different makes and models, were sold as scraps at below their market prices through what the NCS called direct auction allocation.
Documents obtained by our correspondent indicated that 338 vehicles were sold for N3.380m by the Committee on Direct Disposal of Condemned Scrap Vehicles and other items, Customs headquarters, Abuja.
Several companies were allocated hundreds of vehicles via a letter signed by the Chairman, Direct Disposal of Scraps Committee, Comptroller A.D Sanusi.
Kurra, who described the practice as illegal, had confirmed that members of the Nigeria Association of Auctioneers benefitted from the scheme.
Miffed by the report, the Customs in a letter of invitation to Kurra signed by the Comptroller Investigation, MC Ugbagu, on behalf of the Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs, directed the NAA President to appear before the panel.
The letter with reference number, NCS/INV/609//022/ABJ/HQ was titled, ‘Re: News feature on Nigeria Customs Service direct auction allocation sale of public property and other items published in The PUNCH Newspaper of September 20, 2022. Allegations of irregularities and corruption in the process by one Musa Kurra who is an imposter purporting to be national president of the Nigeria Association of Auctioneers.’
It read, “The above subject matter refers. You are requested to come for an interview with the Comptroller Investigation of the Nigeria Customs headquarters on the 8th of November at 11 am prompt.
‘’You are expected to come along with all relevant documents to buttress your claim. Above for your information and compliance, please.”
But reacting to the development on Monday, Kurra dismissed the summons, saying the agency cannot compel him to appear before its panel, insisting that he did not owe them any explanation.
The auctioneer challenged the NCS to address the allegations or disprove the award letters on the direct auction allocation of vehicles issued to the beneficiaries.
He said, “Why should I honour the invitation? Who conferred that power on them? I’m accusing them of doing something wrong and they are now inviting me to face them? Are they the judge in their own case? Where is it done? Am I a smuggler?
“I said I have documents to that effect and you (The PUNCH) have published the story. I think they are jokers. Let them face the substance of what I’m accusing them of; whether the documents emanated from them or not.
“Let them deny the documents, whether it belongs to them or not; whether they were acting on behalf of the Comptroller-General or not.”
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