August 31, 2016 
While they held sway in their respective states, three former governors of Akwa Ibom, Rivers and Taraba received waivers to buy different ranges of aircrafts that included a Bombardier private jet and a Bell 407 Helicopter, according to Premium Times.
The governors and other serving government officials circumvented paying duties even as they imported, under various guises, luxury automobiles that included BMW, Ford, Range Rover, Lexus and Jaguar. The waivers were granted in the names of their states.
Between 2011 and May 2014, a total of N215 Billion in import duty exemptions were granted in four years under the leadership of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.
Data obtained from the Budget Office of the Federation detail a fiscal policy recklessness that made duty waivers in Nigeria to become synonymous with cronyism, racketeering, political patronage and outright brigandage.
Whilst some of the waivers may have been well-meaning and granted for the purposes of stimulating local production, economic growth and job creation, the data show that some of those who benefited did not deserve such concessions.
In 2013 former governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, now Minister of Transport, got waivers to buy one Bombardier aircraft Global Vision 5,000 series and two Bell 412 Axis Helicopters.
The three items attracted a total import duties of N2, 182,619,909.00 (Two billion, one hundred and eighty-two million, six hundred and nineteen thousand, nine hundred and nine Naira) but this was waived off by the Customs.
A year earlier in 2012, the Akwa Ibom State government, ran at the time by Godswill Akpabio, who is now a serving Senator, received waiver to purchase a G450 5N 4241 Aircraft. The economic necessity for the aircraft was not stated. This particular acquisition attracted import duty of N271, 256,000.00 (Two hundred and seventy-one million and Two hundred and fifty-six thousand Naira) but was not paid in view of the waiver.
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