ANLCA: Those in police net masterminded attack on our secretariat – V/President

…Pledges to cooperate with police

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

Contrary to reports that some members of  The Board of Trustees of Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) are being harrassed and illegally arrested by the police, the national secriatariate has refuted such claim, stated that  those in police net were members who masterminded the attack on their secretariat.

Speaking to journalists in Lagos, the National Vice-President of the association, Dr Kayode Farinto informed that some members are presently at the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Alagbon in Lagos State.among whom were; ANLCA former Board of Trustees Secreatary, Prince Taiye Oyeniyi and Western Zone Coordinator, John Ofobike (Dankatsina).

Nwabunike

The Vice President said the persons were picked  up by the FCID for allegedly masterminding the attack on the association’s Secretariat and also attacking the National President of ANLCA. Hon Tony Iju Nwabunike.

Saying that in the face of the ensuing challenges, on February 18, 2021 Nwabunike was attacked and robbed of his phones ,cash and other valuables by hoodlums believed to have been sponsored by some aggrieved chieftains of the association at Ports Terminal and Multiservices Limited (PTML) in Lagos during a visit

In the same vain, the ANLCA National Headquarters in Lagos was reportedly invaded by about 40 armed thugs on Tuesday October 6, 2020, who broke into the property, brandishing guns, cutlasses, knives and charms,.chased away staff and carted away valuable documents and cash.

Ferinto said the National Executive Committe(NECOM), of ANLCA throws its weight behind the steps taken so far by the Police AIG Alagbon to get to the root of these life threatening cases, therefore called on genuine members of ANLCA to be law abiding, assured them of the support of the secretariat to their challengers.

He said, “We call this briefing to intimate you about the present state of events in ANLCA, because a lot of events have happened in the last few months.

“Am sure you are aware of the BoT election we had at Owerri, Imo State where the state Governor Senator Hope Uzodinma came to honour us. After that, the elected BoT supervised the Western Zone elections, which includes the Tin Can Island chapter, Apapa chapter, PTML, Seme, KLT, Ikorodu and the Executives have started working. But we notice that some people who are parading themselves as executives in the western zone are actually constituting nuisance in the ports, which we reported to the police.

Hoodlums that attacked ANLCA Secretariat last October

“You are also aware that, some few months ago, some hoodlums came to our secretariat with different kinds of ammunition including AK 47, charms and others to attack the person of the President and some NECOM members. We also notice that in the last few weeks miscreants and cultists have taken over the Tin Can Island secretariat threatening the lives of members. So we reported the case to AIG Alagbon and he is investigating it. One of the former BoT members, Prince Taiye Oyeniyi has been arrested, because we noticed that he seems to be the one sponsoring these hoodlums.”

He assured that people of questionable characters who are not even freight forwarder will no longer have a dwelling place in the ports anymore. Promised that the report of the disciplinary committee which he happened to be the chairman will be ready in a matter of days even as some person invited failed to appear, he assured that those found guilty will be appropriately sanctioned by the association.

Corroborating the position of the Vice President, the National Secretary of the association, Alhaji Babatunde Mukaila said the miscreants that attacked the National President at PTML Customs have been arrested and will be charged to court soon.

Regretted that the miscrients that attacked their secretariat were misinformed and recruited by Alhaji Taiwo Mustapha to weep up disaffection and sentiment as they will be arraigned in court soonest.

Mukaila, Nwabunike and Farinto

“Those guys who attacked ANLCA are not members of ANLCA, but OPC members that were recruited by Alhaji Taiwo Mustapha who paid the bill. While Taiye Oyeniyi did the recruitment, but the story they gave the OPC was that the Igbos have taken over the ANLCA secretariat and the OPC boys felt such thing should not happen in Lagos state.

“But when they were arrested, I was the pointer man at the point of action and then, the Vice President came in and they were surprised to see two Yoruba men when they thought it was true that the Igbos have takeover. So they pleaded, but of course the law have to take it’s cause. so all those guys are not members of ANLCA, even though they came in with paraphernalia of ANLCA having ID cards purportedly issued by John Offorbike . The case is coming up on the 29th of March at Ogba Magistrate Court.” Mukaila stated.