The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has extended the ultimatum given to private jet owners in the country to pay the requisite duties by another two weeks.

The initial deadline for the payment of the duties expired on July 26.

The Customs spokesman, Joseph Attah, who disclosed this to journalists on Sunday in Abuja, said 30 out of 65 airplanes verified by the service are expected to pay required duties to the Federal Government.

He said some of the jets were brought into the country via the Temporary Importation agreement which allows the owners to bring them to the country without payment of required duties.

The spokesman said with the verification exercise, the service had been able to differentiate between aircraft on commercial operations and private jets in the country.

The statement read: “Considering the rising 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 aimed at punishing or embarrassing the private jet owners but to ensure that their operations in the country are properly documented.

“It will also ensure that necessary revenue is collected into the coffers of the federal government.

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

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

“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.”