Following a detailed debt recovery plan, Nigeria Customs Service has unblocked and reinstated First Bank PLC as Customs duty collecting bank.
The bank was suspended from duty collection as a result of the failure of its customers: Messrs Onome Jack Up Service Limited and Oritsetimeyin Jack Up Service Limited to redeem a bond to the tone of N3, 641,563,481.00 secured by the Bank.
Satisfied with the recovery plan which involves the intervention of Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), the Comptroller-General of Customs, Dikko Inde Abdullahi, CFR, has directed the immediate reinstatement of First Bank Plc as Customs duty collecting bank and consequently urges Importers/Agents to resume duty payment transactions with the bank.
According to Customs PRO, Wale Adeniyi, the CGC assured that the Service will continue to recognize properly entered bonds as a tool for trade facilitation, but warned that any abuse of the process from any individual or organization will no longer be tolerated.
