We are no longer part of the protest against VIN valuation- Tanko Ibrahim, NAGAFF 100% Compliance Coordinator 

The National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) has dissociated itself from the three days old protest rocking the ports over inefficiency, high duty valuation by the online platform, Vehicles Identification Number (VIN) introduced to remove human contact and engender quick valuation of imported vehicles.

The new electronic system was introduced by the Federal Ministry of Finance currently implemented by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).

Speaking at a press briefing on Wednesday, the Chairman NAGAFF 100% Compliance team, Alhaji Tanko Ibrahim, said that intelligence reports indicated that hoodlums from Ajegunle and Mushin are already on ground to hijack the protest from aggrieved freight forwarders and licensed customs agents hence the necessity to withdraw his members.

Recall that the protest against the VIN valuation enters fourth day on Thursday even as Customs management is yet to find a lasting solution to the imbroglio.

According to him, the NAGAFF executives at the national will engage management of the service on the best way in addressing the VIN policy, urging freight agents to engage customs constructively on the best way in resolving the agitation.

“Our eyes and ears are on the ground and I need to protect my people. The police and Navy have been alerted and that is why we have to withdraw from the ongoing project.

“We remember what happened to END-SARS where some people hijacked the peaceful protest and at the end, we lost some lives .

“They don’t know what is freight forwarding business and with such kind of people,before you know it, the situation will be out of control  and I don’t want anybody to tanish the image of 100% Compliance task team of NAGAFF because of the protest.

“I repeat that NAGAFF 100% Compliance team is not part of the protest at Tin Can Island Port. I have already addressed that issues because we are going to meet with management of Customs.

“We are trying to avoid people coming to hijack this protest and am protecting my people from it and we are not the people doing the strike now and already our people have withdrawn from the protest at Tin Can Island Port.

He added that the e-valuation has come to stay but added that “We need to know how customs come to the value they placed on vehicles.”