The Customs Public Relations Officer, Mr. Joseph Attah, who disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Abuja, yesterday, explained that some of the airplanes came into the country by Temporary Importation agreement, which allowed the owners to bring in the jets without payment because it was secured by a bond.

He said, thereafter, the owners failed to turn up to pay on the expiration of the agreement which necessitated the verification.

He maintained that with this exercise, there would be more revenue to be accrued to the Federal Government because those who failed to adhere to the agreement would be made to pay the duties.

The Customs’ spokesperson said the verification had also allowed the service to differentiate those airplanes in the country that were on commercial operations from those owned and used for private purposes.

Attah restated the fact that the verification was not meant to embarrass anybody but to ensure that the right or required duties were paid to the government by the owners of the airplanes.

He further disclosed that with the impact of the first two weeks’ extension, the service had again been given another two weeks which commenced from Monday, July 26, to Friday, August 6.

“Considering the rising number of compliance and the number of jets that are liable for payment of duties as well as indications by those people to do so, the Comptroller-General has again graciously given them another two weeks.

“The exercise as I stated in our previous briefings, is not intended to be punitive or to embarrass them but to ensure that these private jets that operate in the country are properly documented.  And also, to ensure every collectible revenue is collected into the coffers of the Federal Government.‘‘

“As you all know the case of increasing economic challenge, every source of revenue is important to the government and beyond that, for security purpose.

“With this, you can now tie proper ownership to every aircraft or private jet that flies into and out of the country. Through the exercise, we have been able to know those hiding under temporary importation agreement.

“We are aware that owners of private jets are highly placed Nigerians who should be respected and approached in a manner that provides all necessary convenience and that is what these extensions stand for,” he explained.

According to him, this will be the last extension because whoever fails to turn up for the verification will have his aircraft impounded.