Section 69: Power of Authority to sell if rates not paid or lien not discharged

(1) lf the rates payable to the Authority in respect of any goods are not paid, or if the lien for freight, primage, general average or charges when a notice under section 67 of this Act has been given is not discharged, the Authority may, and in the latter event, if required by or on behalf of the person claiming the lien for freight, primage, general average or charges, shall--
(a) at the expiration of ninety days from the time when the goods were placed in its custody; or
(b) if the goods are of a perishable nature, at such earlier period, not less than 24 hours after the landing of the goods as the Authority may think fit, sell, by public auction, the goods or so much as is necessary to satisfy the duty, expenses, rates and other claims directed under this Part of this Act to be paid out of the proceeds of the sale.
(2) The Authority shall, before putting up goods for sale under subsection (1) of this section, give thirty days notice of the sale by publication in the Gazette and at least two widely read national newspapers, unless the goods are of so perishable a nature as, in the opinion of the Authority, to render their immediate sale necessary or advisable, in which case the notice shall be given as the urgency of the case admits.
(3) If the address of the owner of the goods or of his agent has been stated on the manifest of the cargo, or in any of the documents which have come into the hands of the Authority or is otherwise known and the address is within Nigeria, notice shall also be given to the owner of the goods by letter delivered at that address or sent by post.
(4) The title of a bonafide purchaser of goods sold under this section shall not be invalidated by reason of the omission to send a notice under this section, and the purchaser is not bound to inquire whether the notice has been sent.