About two weeks after it threatened court action against the Nigeria Customs Service over the invasion of its premises by armed soldiers on the prompting of a serving Customs officer, the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) said that it is no longer interested in the case.
The association, in a statement made available to our correspondent, disclosed that it arrived at the decision to drop the legal redress after its board of trustees meeting.
About two weeks after it threatened court action against the Nigeria Customs Service over the invasion of its premises by armed soldiers on the prompting of a serving Customs officer, the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) said that it is no longer interested in the case.
The association, in a statement made available to our correspondent, disclosed that it arrived at the decision to drop the legal redress after its board of trustees meeting.
The NAGAFF had earlier threatened to drag the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), the Army authorities and a serving Customs Deputy Controller; Mrs. Jayne Shoboiki for allegedly invading its premises on August 1, 2012.
But, in total departure from its threat, the association, through its trustees’ chairman, Chidiebere
Enelamah, said it has had a rethink and is no longer interested in pursuing legal redress.
However, in apparent acceptance that the bone of contention was the action of Mrs Shoboiki which led to the seizure of two containers belonging to one of its members, NAGAFF also appealed to the Nigeria Customs Service to release the controversial containers.
In the statement, the association pleaded with “the management of the Nigeria Customs Service to take a second look at the seizure of the two containers of the traded goods which was the remote cause of the attack on NAGAFF. We believe it is wrong. It is an injustice and it is inequitable for the Service to seize a container duly released by the CAC after Customs duty has been paid and accounted.”
“We wish to draw the attention of the Customs management to import guidelines of 2006/ CEMA which are both universal in application and rules of engagement. There is no need for selective justice in the application of Customs law and operational orders of the Nigeria Customs Service”, the association pointed out.
The association however did not spare the officer who is at the centre of the face-off with the Customs, saying that she should be cautioned to stop using her position to intimidate.
Shipping Position Daily, recalls that the officer; Mrs Jayne Shoboiki allegedly led gun-trotting soldiers into the national secretariat of NAGAFF on the fateful day and threatened to kill the association’s foundew; Dr Boniface Aniebonam.
But the association, said that; “there is no doubt that Mrs. Jayne Shoboiki’s actions on that day were in bad faith and abuse of the responsible position of her husband as a serving Army General of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
“It is our belief that the Board of Customs will take necessary steps to discourage Mrs. Jayne Shoboiki from such shameful act and ensure good conduct of the officer in a civil society.”
“It is also important to note that the Army authorities should advise the husband of Mrs. Shoboiki to take necessary steps to stop her wife from abusing his responsible position in Nigeria as an Army General.”
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