WEDNESDAY, 13th October, 2021: The Nigerian Customs Service has given a 14-day ultimatum to private aircraft owners in the country to sort out infractions in their import and operational documents with the Tariff and Trade Department or risk having their aircrafts impounded.
The National Public Relations Officer of the NCS, Joseph Attah made this announcement on Tuesday in a press conference held in Abuja.
It had earlier been reported in July that this directive had been given to private jet owners by the NCS telling them to verify their documents with the service or risk having their airplanes impounded by the service.
According to Attah, NCS had already issued demand notices to all private jet owners concerned and was expecting to generate billions of naira once detected gaps were closed.
He added that this move was facilitated by the NCS due to the need to promote national security and recover government revenue trapped in the coffers of various private jet owners who had evaded duties and statutory charges.
He further added that the verification took place between June 7 and August 6, 2021 at the Tariff and Trade Department of the service. 
He said,"Within the stipulated period, 86 private jets/aircraft operators showed up for the exercise and presented the relevant documents for verification.
“Of this number, 57 were verified as commercial charter operators, and were duly cleared for operations.
“Twenty-nine other private jets/aircrafts were found liable for payment of Customs duty. Their values were assessed, and the appropriate demand notices issued to their owners for the payment of outstanding duties.
“However, 62 other private jet/aircrafts whose registration numbers were duly obtained from the appropriate authority were not verified because their owners or designated representatives made no presentations to Customs that could help determine their status.
“To this effect, all 57 commercial charter jet/aircraft operators who presented their documents for verification are requested to come forward to the Tariff and Trade department of the Nigeria Customs.
“All 29 private jet/aircraft owners and or their representatives who have been issued with demand notices have been given 14 days from October 11, 2021 to collect and make payments to the designated Federal Government accounts after which they will be issued with Aircraft Clearance Certificates.”