Clearing Agent Threatens Customs With N250Million Suit

For the alleged offences of its officers, the Nigeria Customs Service is facing the risk of a N250Million suit by a top member of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA).

An Assistant Controller of Customs in charge of Container Seat at the PTML command of the Nigeria Customs Service, whose identity was simply given as Mr. Mustapha; alongside two Assistant Superintendent of Customs; Mr. Ndubisi Aniebunwa, and another Mr. Jack, are currently battling allegations of battery and assault leveled against them by a member of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA); Olorogun Andrew Ugwi.

Olorogun Ugwi who spoke with Shipping Position Daily in Lagos yesterday said that he is suing the Nigeria Customs Service for N250million and that his lawyer is already working on the case.

He alleged that on 10th of October 2013, Mr. Ndubisi who is in charge of assessment and issuing of debit notes at the PTML custom command, alongside another Assistant Superintendent known as Jack, on orders of one Assistant Controller Mustapha in charge of container seat; had manhandled him, rained blows on him and tore his clothes.

He alleged further that he had gone to Assistant Controller Mustapha to table challenges he was having with Ndubisi over a debit note that was issued on one of his cargoes, only for the officer to order Ndubisi to bundle him out of the office.

"I had gone there to collect a debit note over a consignment not declared by an importer in my vehicle, for three days I was going up and down Ndubisi's office and the valuation office, I went to his boss; Mustapha, to seek his help, but despite all my pleading, he told Ndubisi and Jack to throw me out of his office", he stated.

"And the way they could get me out was to grip me with my shirt, it got tored, they damaged my card holder, they started kicking and blowing me until they threw me out of the office and even out of the long room, and for fear that agents will react, they locked the door" he said.

Our correspondent gathered that the police had been invited into the case and that they had investigated the case and both officers Ndubisi and Jack are currently on bail.

Ugwi however condemned the peace efforts carried out by the police and instead demanded N3.2million for damages or else he is suing customs for N250million.

"I told them to pay me N3.2million or I will sue Customs for 250million, they started begging me and they sent a written apology to me through the police, but I told them that I will not accept an apology on that level, then Ndubisi started offering me N100,000 and I told him I am not a boy he can just offer bread"

"I am suing the Customs, Ndubisi, Mustapha and Jack for assaulting me, dehumanizing me and causing me brain torture" Ugwi said.

Speaking with Shipping Position Daily at the command however, one of the affected officers, Mr. Ndubisi Aniebunwa confirmed some of the allegations by the freight forwarder,saying that Olorogun Ugwi was so treated because he refused to conduct himself properly within Customs premises.

Ndubisi told our correspondent that Ugwi had refused to provide original copies of the debit note which had earlier been issued to him and that he had insisted that the Customs must treat his document by force.

"The man kept on arguing and almost pointing at my OC's face, he refused to leave the office and my boss asked me to walk him out, I held him and tried to take him out, I did not even look back to see what happened, it was later I saw his clothes and I realized it might have happened when I was dragging him out", he explained.

"I did not beat him up, I only dragged him out of my oga's office, as for his cloth, I think it is an old cloth, they are clothes that can give way with any little pressure", he told our correspondent.

He claimed that he had tried settling the case amicably with the freight forwarder, but that he is being unreasonable about the issues.

Our correspondent gathered that the Assistant Controller Mustapha has now been transferred to SCOA bonded terminal.