Clearing agents and local produce traders under the auspices of All Ports Unified Freight Forwarders Practitioners Association, have accused officers and men of the Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘A’ lkeja of systematically killing their businesses on allegation of official abuses and extortion. The group whose membership are also exporters of local produce including treated woods, vegetables and beverages, said those arrested were thereafter subjected to intimidation, extortion and delays sometimes lasting a whole day or two. He explained that oftentimes the unit operatives intercept trucks right at the entry gate of Apapa port and force them to detour outside of the area where they initiate negotiations even when it had become glaring that nothing illegal was found in the vehicle. At other times, he said, the trucks were forcefully taken to their Ikeja office where members suffered lost time and additional costs. He lamented further that the prevailing atmosphere was not only detrimental to trade facilitation and ease of doing business, but indeed killing trade and impacting negatively on port trade cost efficiency.

Source: Punch December 18, 2019 23:05 UTC