Online Auction: NCS sets up committees at various commands

In preparation for the take-off of the much-awaited online auction of seized goods, the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS has set up auction committees at various commands of the service in the country.

This is even as the service has warned members of the public to be wary of fraudsters who might want to take advantage of the online auction to swindle unsuspecting members of the public through fake online sites

According to the spokesperson of the Tin-can Port Command of the NCS, Mr. Uche Ejesieme, he revealed that a circular has been issued from the service’s headquarter to all commands for the constitution of the auction committee.
He further revealed that the online auction is not open to customs officers and their family members

“It is the duty of the auction committee to compile a list of the cargoes that have been seized at their command and forward it to the headquarter”

He noted that since the auction process was stopped in 2015 following the exit of former customs boss Abdulahi Inde Dikko, some of the commands have been over-flowing with seized cargoes

“A committee has been set up at all commands and have been asked to compile the list of all consignments in their commands and send them to the headquarter so that by the time they open the portal people would start to bid”

We want to ensure that what they are bidding for is actually on ground, since 2015 that Dikko left, the auction has stopped and some of the commands would have been overflowing with seized consignments” he said.

“A major clause in the online process is that once you bid for an auction and it is successful, you have five days grace to make payment, if you default in making payment, the consignment goes back to pre-bidding status, also after payment, you are given a 14-day grace to evacuate your cargo from the port complex” he said.

However, the service has warned members of the public against falling for the antics of fraudsters who post fake auction advertisements purportedly by the service in the social media.

This is according to the Public Relations Officer, Tin Can Island Port 2 Customs Command, Ijora, Mr Godwin Andishu.

He said the warning became imperative because of the increasing complaints by Nigerians who had been duped by some unscrupulous elements through such advertisements.