Car dealers protest alleged extortion by Customs officers in Akure

Car dealers from Ondo, Ekiti, Osun, and Oyo States staged a massive protest in Akure, the Ondo State capital, on Monday against what they described as persistent extortion, harassment and illegal seizure of vehicles by officers of the Nigeria Customs Service.

The protest, which took place at the Ondo/Ekiti Customs Command headquarters, saw demonstrators chanting solidarity songs and carrying placards with inscriptions such as: “We pay duty, stop the harassment,” “Customs – Uphold the Law, Not Extortion,” and “Release Our Vehicles.”

The protest disrupted vehicular traffic for several hours as the car dealers pressed their demands for an end to what they termed illegal practices by Customs operatives.

Speaking with journalists, some of the Tokunbo (used) car dealers alleged that vehicles already cleared at Lagos ports were still being intercepted on highways.

They claimed Customs officers often subject the vehicles to arbitrary revaluation and demand additional unofficial payments before release.

According to the dealers, Customs operatives frequently cite “watch lists” or internal directives as justification for impounding vehicles, even after import duties had been fully paid.

The protesting car dealers called for free passage of duly cleared vehicles without repeated checkpoints and an immediate end to alleged unofficial charges, inflated valuations and bribes by Customs officers.

The also called for transparency and accountability in the operations of the Nigeria Customs Service.


The protesters vowed to sustain their agitation until their grievances are addressed by relevant authorities.