But for providence, the founder of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Dr Boniface Aniebonam would have been a dead man yesterday when about 22 heavily armed military men stormed the national headquarters of the association reportedly threatening to kill the founder of the association.
The military men were allegedly led to the Freight Forwarders village by an officer of the Nigeria Customs Service attached to the Customs Intelligent Unit (CIU) at the Tin Can Island port, Lagos; Deputy Comptroller Jane Shoboki.
But for providence, the founder of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Dr Boniface Aniebonam would have been a dead man yesterday when about 22 heavily armed military men stormed the national headquarters of the association reportedly threatening to kill the founder of the association.
The military men were allegedly led to the Freight Forwarders village by an officer of the Nigeria Customs Service attached to the Customs Intelligent Unit (CIU) at the Tin Can Island port, Lagos; Deputy Comptroller Jane Shoboki.
The ever-busy freight forwarders haven was thrown into commotion as people ran for dear lives as the gun-wielding soldiers reportedly went to Dr Aniebonam office requesting to see him. He was however far away.
According to the National Secretary of NAGAFF, Mr. Increase Uche who addressed journalists shortly after the departure of the army men, two vehicles; a black Lexus jeep with registration Number BU 300R BC, 470 SERIES and a Hilux jeep with registration number BM 165 GGE that conveyed the army officers had arrived at the NAGAFF office around 2.15pm yesterday.
He alleged that the soldiers rough handled everyone in sight.
Narrating how the events unfolded, Increase said that: "They said that our founder is in trouble and that he has been writing petitions against her (the Customs Officer), that he doesn’t know that the woman is the wife of a Brigade commander and that they have come to kill him here and that their mission is to kill him".
“She said she wanted to see the idiot that was dismissed from Customs, the idiot that was sacked from Custom, and that they should carry him out and make sure he is killed, she threatened that he should know that he is no longer safe in this Lagos” Increase explained.
According to the Vice President Western Zone of NAGAFF, Chief Uche Nwabude the woman had been reacting to a petition which was filed against her to the Comptroller General of Customs, Alhaji Inde Abdullahi Dikko by NAGAFF three days ago.
According to him, NAGAFF had alleged in the petition that Mrs Shoboko was carrying out illegal activities at the Tin Can Island Port which is detrimental to trade facilitation and the need to achieve 48-hour cargo clearance.
He alleged further that: “What she does is that as soon as you lodge entry she collects the number and demand for bribe, ranging from N3million upward, three days ago we called her to order and told her that what she is doing is wrong and we offered to help her if need be, and what she did was to storm this place with military men”.
“Even the Area Controller of Tin Can command does not have control over her because her husband is a military man and that she is untouchable, she even says that the CGC can go to hell, she comes to work by 2.pm and she leaves by 4.pm, and when she is coming she comes with military men”, the NAGAFF chieftain alleged further.
When Shipping Position Daily got in touch with Dr Aniebonam yesterday, he confirmed the invasion, but expressed gratitude to God for his absence when the soldiers came.
“You can imagine what would have happened if I was around when I came, there would have been bloodbath”, he said.
He also confirmed that the incident has been reported to the Customs Comptroller General, but failed to divulge any further information
Discussion about this post