Customs backs Senator; says 22 cars were not from his residence

Almost 48 hours after Senator Barau Jibrin said on the floor of the Senate that it was a lie that the Customs seized 22 posh cars from his Kano residence, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has backed his story.
Jibrin told his colleagues Tuesday that he was home all through that day with his political supporters and other well-wishers; and the raid could not have taken place at the same residence on the said date.
The unfortunate story gained traction because many thought it was part of the continuing face-off between the Customs and the Senate because the parliamentary Upper House asked the Customs boss, Col. Hameed Ali (rtd), to resign; and declared him unfit for public office.
Thursday, the Customs spokesman, Joseph Attah, in a statement said whoever brought up the name of Jibrin was being mischievous.
His full statement reads: “The attention of Nigerian Customs Service has been drawn to a mischievous publication in some prints and online platforms that the service has seized vehicles belonging to a Senator in Kano.
“Since this is capable of misleading the public into wrong insinuations, it is imperative to state the facts.
·        That the Operatives of NCS Compliance Team, based on credible intelligence, trailed the movement of some smuggled vehicles from Maigatari, Jigawa State to a house at Magaji Rumfa, GRA Kano.
·        On the 7th February, 2017, eleven (11) vehicles, 10 Hilux and one (1) Land cruiser jeep were retrieved from the house at Magaji Rumfa GRA, Kano and taken for detention at the HQ of Customs Area Command Kano.
·        That the officers discovered there were no occupants in the house, hence the gate was forced opened to retrieve the smuggled vehicles.
·        That investigation into the smuggling of the vehicles is still on to establish the true owner.
“From the above, it is clear that whoever introduced the “Senator” angle to the story is out for pure mischief and does not represent the position of the service on this issue.
“Accordingly, the false and misleading report should be discountenanced please.”