ANCLA vows to prosecute perpetrators over attack on secretariat

...Charges chapter excos to entrench internal democracy..

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

Though the issues surrounding the recent EndSars protest seems to have slowed down many activities in the country, Association of Nigeria License Customs Agent  (ANLCA) has stated its resolve to bring to justice all those behind the recent mindless attack on its national Secretary in Lagos.

The ANCLA President Hon.Tony Iju Nwabunike in a release stated that the National Executive Committee (NECOM) of the association will never fall for cheap blackmail or intimidation, but will stand on its feet to rein in peace and unity into this oldest and most organised Customs Brokers organisation in Nigeria.

Hon.Nwabunike

Nwabunike was reacting to recent concern being expressed by the general public who are eager for an update on how the masterminds of the barbaric attack on the association on October 6, 2020 will be unmasked and punished by the long arms of the law.

He said though the attacker’s were clearly out for the life of the NECOM members, ANLCA as a law abiding institution will refrain from commenting on the matter which is in  court, as doing so will be subjudice of the Court process and could as well stirrup fiction that could compete with facts.

According to the president, the suspects who were arrested in connection with the incident have been charged to court and the association has been following dutifully, at the same time carrying out its own independent investigation to truly ascertain the level of collateral damage to its facilities..

He said, “The leadership of ANLCA under my watch is not and will never be cowed or trapped in the shenanigans of disgruntled elements who are bent on destroying the oldest and most organised Customs Brokers organisation in Nigeria.

“As such, the NECOM is not leaving any stone unturned as it has petitioned relevant government security agencies to ensure that those criminally minded elements who carried out the mayhem on our secretariat and their sponsors are made to face full wrath of the law.

“Our association under my watch will continue to carry out our legitimate duties as enshrined in the ANLCA Supreme Constitution and we call on all our members across the country to go about their normal businesses without fear, intimidation or allowing themselves to be incited against the legitimate leadership of the association.

Nwabunike further charged all chapter executives to align themselves to the democratic ideals of ANCLA faster than it takes a fart to offend the nostril, and make arrangements for their election as stipulated in the ANCLA constitution.

He admonished them to disregard empty threats from disgruntled elements who have gone into overdrive to see the association collapse, promised that his administration will never toil with issues concerning the welfare of its members.

“We want also to use this medium to inform the various Chapters of ANLCA to prepare for their respective election of Chapter Executives, as their constitutional rights guaranteed in the ANLCA Supreme Constitution and to disregard any empty threats from those individuals who don’t mean well for the association.

“Finally, I want to assure all our members that this NECOM under my headship will continue to negotiate and fight for the rights of members so that they will keep carrying out their businesses without any form of threat and intimidation,” Nwabunike stated.

It will recalled that suspected hoodlums wielding guns, machetes and charms, numbering over 40 invaded the National Secretariat of ANCLA on October 6, 2020 at about 9:30 am.

During the attack that lasted for over 30minutes, they engaged in destruction and looting orgy, their frantic but unsuccessful efforts to lay hold of the President Nwabunike and other National Officers failed.

On sighting police officers from Festac Police Station who were timely on hand, most of the criminal elements fled, however, 9 members of the gang were arrested along with their  guns, charms and other harmful objects.

In their struggle and resistance against lawful arrest, the hoodlums injured a police officer, Sergeant Abadariki F. who eventually got hospitalised.

Reacting in the wake of the attack Nwabunike had stated, “As a law abiding organisation, with a leadership that believes in God, we are grateful to our creator for saving us from an attempt to gruesomely murder us by persons whose desperation has been brought to the fore for all to see.”