Plant And Plate Ltd, a Nigerian manufacturing company producing Fuja Drinking Water and Kingkung Bitters, has accused officers of the Nigeria Customs Service of raiding its factory, arresting workers and sealing its premises without following due process.
The company made the allegations in an open letter addressed to President Bola Tinubu, the Comptroller-General of Customs and other Nigerians, calling for an urgent investigation and the reopening of its factory.
According to the management, the business is less than a year old and was established with bank loans and personal savings. It said it had obtained approvals from the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to manufacture its products and had employed young Nigerians as part of its contribution to local production.
However, the company alleged that its operations were disrupted when an unidentified person dressed in civilian clothes arrived at its premises claiming to be a Customs officer. It said armed operatives subsequently entered the factory compound without prior notice or inspection.
Plant And Plate claimed that its workers were harassed, handcuffed and arrested during the operation, while its Human Resources manager was taken away and detained in a Customs cell overnight before being released the following morning.
The company also alleged that its factory gates were sealed without a written demand notice, formal assessment or sealing order being presented to its management.
Questioning the circumstances surrounding the operation, the company said it was difficult to understand how Customs expected a young business to meet its financial obligations when its production activities had been halted.
It explained that the business was still operating with borrowed funds, including money used to pay workers’ salaries, service loans and meet other operational expenses. It added that shutting down the factory had cut off its ability to generate the revenue needed to meet those commitments.
The company maintained that it was not opposed to paying legitimate taxes and statutory charges owed to the Federal Government but insisted that enforcement agencies must follow established procedures when dealing with businesses.
It argued that Customs should have conducted an inspection, issued a written demand stating any outstanding liabilities and allowed the company an opportunity to respond or challenge the assessment before taking enforcement action.
Plant And Plate further called for greater consideration for small manufacturers, warning that aggressive enforcement practices could discourage local entrepreneurs and undermine efforts to expand domestic production.
The company appealed to Tinubu, the Comptroller-General of Customs, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, and human rights advocates to investigate the incident, identify the officers involved and ensure that its factory is reopened so workers can return to their jobs.
It stressed that its intention was not to evade its obligations but to be given a fair opportunity to operate, meet its financial commitments and contribute to the Nigerian economy.
The allegations were contained in an open letter signed by the management of Plant And Plate Ltd. The Nigeria Customs Service was not represented in the statement, and its response to the allegations was not included.
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