Expdonaloaded News; We won’t shut down Intercontinental Hotel –Customs

Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has said it has no plan to close Intercontinental Hotel in Lagos, as widely reported in the media.
Public Relations Officer of NCS, Wale Adeniyi, said in a statement that contrary to the heat generated recently, the agency found it necessary to clarify its position on its ongoing battle to compel defaulting rice importers pay outstanding duties owed the Federal Government.

“This clarification has become necessary in view of media reports that NCS plans to shut down Intercontinental Hotel. The confusion was created in view of the association of its owners, Milan Nigeria Limited, with one of the defaulting importers.”
The statement explained that available records had shown that Intercontinental Hotel was not indebted to the NCS, and would, therefore, not be shut down as insinuated.
Adeniyi said it was also necessary to clarify that the defaulting importers targeted for sanctions, Conti Agro Nigeria Limited, was a separate legal entity from Milan Nigeria Limited, owners of Intercontinental Hotel, adding that the management of Conti Agro had commenced engagement with the Customs to make payments of duty owed by it, and resolve the issue.
In a rejoinder, Public Relations Manager of the hotel, Ronke Bamisedun, described the statement by the NCS as timely and reassuring to the management.
“We, Milan Industries Ltd, are the owners of InterContinental Hotel Lagos. We write to clarify and correct the misinformation being disseminated in the media concerning our refusal to pay import duty on rice and the decision of the NCS to shut down InterContinental Hotel.
She said: “We are not in the business of importing rice and are a limited liability company; we cannot be held responsible for the alleged indebtedness of another company.”