Nigeria has returned six mine-resistant multipurpose vehicles seized in August and later found to belong to the United States of America (USA).
The Nigerian Customs Services (NCS) handed over the vehicles to American officials during a brief ceremony at the Adamawa/Taraba Zonal headquarters of the Command on Friday.
The vehicles were seized in August by security officials who said they were not convinced about the ownership, purpose and destination of the vehicles.
Speaking Friday on the occasion of the handing over, the Zonal Comptroller of Customs, Adamawa/Taraba Command, Kamardeen Olumoh, said the handover was in deference to a directive from the National Security Adviser to release the vehicles to the American Government.
“I am directed by the National Security Adviser to comply, release and hand over the vehicles to the American Government,” the Customs zonal comptroller said.
The Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of United States of America in Nigeria, Kathleen FitzGibbon, thanked Nigeria for its understanding.
FitzGibbon explained that the vehicles were on their way to Niger Republic for a security mission when they were seized by Nigerian authorities.
Military and security chiefs from various security formations and some military and security officials of the American Embassy
were present during the handing over ceremony.