The Court Ruling against the Nigeria Customs Service You Probably Should Know About

In June 2019, according to The Nigeria Lawyer, Kehinde Ogunwumiju, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), arrived at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport in Abuja to officers of the Nigeria Customs Service who searched his baggage and found a Louis Vuitton laptop bag.

The officers insisted that Kehinde pay import duty amounting to over N150,000. Kehinde disagreed and decided to sue the customs service to court.

And, well, he won. The Court ruled that, according to Section 8 of the Customs, Excise Tariff, etc. (Consolidation) Act, and the 2nd Schedule to the Customs, Excise Tariff, etc. (Consolidation) Act, the following goods are exempt from import duty and other related charges:

Goods contained in a passenger’s baggage provided that the said goods are not intended for sale, barter or exchange; and personal and household effects.

The Court stated that Kehinde had established that the LV bag was for his personal use, and therefore he couldn’t be charged for import duty.

The Court ruled that the customs service return Kehinde’s import duty of over N150,000, and then pay him N5m in damages.

It’s necessary you’re armed with the knowledge the next time officers of the service search your bags in the airport.