N1,000 POC on vehicles is double taxation- Lagos Lawyer – Newstrends
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N1,000 POC on vehicles is double taxation- Lagos Lawyer

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1 year ago

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vehicle’s proof of ownership certificate

N1,000 POC on vehicles is double taxation- Lagos Lawyer

A Lagos based Lawyer, Mr Francis Ogunbowale, on Wednesday, described the newly announced N1,000 Proof of Ownership Certificates on Vehicles, as being double taxation.

Ogunbowale a member of the Nigerian Bar Association Section on Public Interest and Development Law (NBA-SPIDEL), spoke in reaction to the recent announcement of N1,000 annual Proof of Ownership Certificate (POC) verification of vehicles.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Lagos State Ministry of Transportation had on June 27, disclosed at a press conference, that the state had begun implementation of payment of N1,000 annual POC verification of vehicles.

Among other reasons,, government had said that the policy would  enhance transparency, security and accountability within the transportation network;

It said that the policy would streamline and enhance the process of vehicle ownership verification; and serve as official documentation for the legal owners of vehicles;

Ogunbowale, in his reaction, said the disclosure was not only strange, but also came as a shock and a bitter pill to swallow on the eve of the Sallah celebration.

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He told NAN that where the details of a vehicle had not changed, the newly introduced payment was simply unecessary and amounted  to double taxation.

“What obtains before now is that where the information of a vehicle did not change, payment for PoC verification annually will be grossly unnecessary and exploitative.

“It will amount to double taxation in the face of payment for vehicle license that is renewable every year.

“The National Road Traffic Regulation No. 101, Vol. 99, 2012 (as amended) under which the Joint Tax Board resolved to introduce payment of annual POC renewal, did not provide for any payment or verification of POC every year,” he said

Ogunbowale noted that the reasons given by the government to justify this payment also does not add up.

“The truth is that a one-off payment of POC with data carefully stored in the computer hardware of the Ministry of Transport platform, is capable of promoting transparency, security and accountability desired within the transportation network.

“Rather than overburden the vehicle owners with additional annual payment of N1,000, government can enhance the already existing vehicle ownership verification strategy, by deploying a very simple technology and hardware, which transport officers can use to verify through mobile gadgets, as done in other climes.

“There is nothing wrong in the official documentation of a legal owner of a vehicle through the issuance of custom papers and Vehicle License that usually contain particulars of both the owner and the vehicle.

“The issuance of POC should not be an annual event and payment, except government deliberately wants to increase the internally generated revenue at all costs, not minding the needless pains to the citizens,” he said (NAN)

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Nigeria Customs returns 21 stolen luxury vehicles to Canada

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November 27, 2024

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Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi

Nigeria Customs returns 21 stolen luxury vehicles to Canada

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) yesterday returned 21 luxury vehicles worth over N1.8 billion to Canada after they were stolen and smuggled into Nigeria by a criminal syndicate.

Speaking to Newsman in Lagos, Comptroller General of Customs, Mr. Adewale Adeniyi, emphasized the seriousness of the growing trade in stolen vehicles and its impact on Nigeria’s economy and security.

According to Adeniyi, Nigeria has become a significant hub for stolen vehicles in West Africa, with syndicates exploiting the country’s ports and borders to traffic vehicles from regions such as Europe, North America, and South America.

He highlighted data from the National Bureau of Statistics indicating that only 54% of stolen vehicles were recovered between 2013 and 2015, illustrating the scale of the problem.

“This trend undermines our legitimate automotive market, strains our security infrastructure, and damages Nigeria’s international reputation,” Adeniyi said.

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He further noted that the illegal trade affects President Tinubu’s economic reforms, which aim to position Nigeria as a trusted hub for international commerce.

To combat this challenge, Adeniyi disclosed that the NCS launched Operation Hot Wheels, a collaborative initiative involving the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Canadian authorities, and international law enforcement agencies. The operation focused on intelligence sharing, surveillance, and interdiction to disrupt vehicle trafficking networks.

Adeniyi further disclosed that the operation uncovered sophisticated smuggling techniques, including false cargo declarations and containerized shipments used to conceal stolen vehicles.

During one operation, officers intercepted a container at Onne Port in Rivers State declared to contain used vehicles and spare parts. A physical examination revealed three undeclared 2021 Toyota Highlanders, two of which were confirmed stolen from Canada.

Other high-value recoveries include: A Lamborghini Huracan and a Mercedes-AMG GT, valued at ¦ 630.8 million, intercepted in Lagos. A Rolls-Royce valued at ¦ 231.8 million and a 2019 Lamborghini valued at ¦ 239.1 million, both recovered in Victoria Island. Two Range Rovers (2023 and 2018 models), worth ¦ 267.1 million, intercepted in Lekki. A Mercedes-Benz G550 and a Range Rover Sport, worth ¦ 506.8 million, seized along the Trinity Axis in Lagos.

Nigeria Customs returns 21 stolen luxury vehicles to Canada

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Pro-Wike Rivers lawmakers move to prevent probe of FCT minister tenure as governor

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17 minutes ago

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November 27, 2024

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Pro-Wike Rivers lawmakers move to prevent probe of FCT minister tenure as governor

The factional House of Assembly in Rivers State, led by Martins Amaewhule, has risen against the Rivers State Commission of Inquiry Law of 1999.

Newstrends reports that the 27 embattled members who previously declared their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) are loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

The embattled lawmakers are rushing to repeal the law, which empowers the state to inquire into past administrations.

The law was used by Wike, as governor, to create a Judicial Commission of Inquiry that probed the tenure of his predecessor.

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Meanwhile, the Amaewhule-led Assembly has already seen a bill seeking to repeal the law through a second reading. The repeal process was initiated by the lawmakers following the decision of the state government led by Governor Siminalayi Fubara to set up a Judicial Commission of Inquiry to probe the recent arson and destruction of local government secretariats in the state.

Notedly, the commission invited the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike, and the APC Caretaker Chairman, Chief Tony Okocha to testify in the probe. However, both leaders have shunned the probe panel.

The Deputy Speaker, Dumle Maol, the member representing Akuku Toru Constituency II, Lolo Opuende and the member representing Omuma Constituency, Sylvanus Nwankwo sponsored the bill. Leading the debate on the bill, Nwankwo said the obsolete laws were repealed and re-enacted to reflect current democratic realities.

 

Pro-Wike Rivers lawmakers move to prevent probe of FCT minister tenure as governor

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Bianca raises hope Tinubu will free Nnamdi Kanu to restore peace in South-East

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35 minutes ago

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November 27, 2024

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Nnamdi Kanu and Bianca Ojukwu

Bianca raises hope Tinubu will free Nnamdi Kanu to restore peace in South-East

The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Ojukwu, has appealed to President Bola Tinubu’s government to release the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.

Mr Kanu, who has been in the SSS custody since 2021, is being tried for alleged treason.

Ms Ojukwu said that the release of Mr Kanu would help to ensure the total restoration of peace in the South-East. According to her, if Mr Kanu is released, the region’s development will be fast-tracked.

The wife of the late Odumegwu Ojukwu made the call at her husband’s memorial on Tuesday in Owerri. She advised the people of the South-East to look inwards and appraise the Igbo race that made them who they are.

“In the olden days, we had Igbo unions in places like Kano, Lagos and Kaduna, among others, where people discussed matters affecting them and why they must unite.

“Today, we are celebrating Ojukwu, our uncommon man, a man who stood for peace and equality for every person,” she said.

Ms Ojukwu expressed dissatisfaction that the peaceful atmosphere which Igboland was known for was no longer obtained in the region.

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“There are so many killings, unrest and kidnappings going on today in the region, which is not how it used to be,” Ms Ojukwu said.

She regretted that many people from the region could not go home again to bury their dead or give their children out to marriage due to the spate of unrest and insecurity.

Ms Ojukwu urged the people perpetrating the evil acts to desist from it and embrace peace. She pointed out that some of the perpetrators were from the region and urged them to allow peace to reign.

She condemned the act of killing people in the region “in the name of a sit-at-home directive from non-state actors.”

“Many people from the South-East have left the region for other cities like Lagos and other places due to the spate of insecurity in the area. I was sad when an Igbo person in the U.S. told me that they are making donations in America to buy burial grounds to bury their dead relations as insecurity in the region doesn’t allow them to do that at home come home,” the minister stated.

The event organiser, Raph Uwazuruike, urged Mr Tinubu’s government to release the IPOB leader.

Mr Uwazuruike, the leader of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, stressed that Mr Kanu’s release would help the region experience peace again.

He said the memorial service was to commemorate Mr Ojukwu’s legacies, adding that “all the good things he stood for will not be forgotten.”

 

Bianca raises hope Tinubu will free Nnamdi Kanu to restore peace in South-East

(NAN)

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