The festering crises in the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) took a new dimension on Tuesday when some heavily armed thugs invaded the association’s national secretariat located in the Amuwo Odofin area of Lagos.
Our correspondent confirmed that the hoodlums defied the morning rainfall in most parts of Lagos and descended on the multi-million Naira secretariat, destroyed sensitive documents and vandalized the building.
Sources alleged that were it not for the timely arrival of the Police, the building would have been set ablaze.
Confirming the attack, the President of the association; Mr Tony Nwabunike expressed shock at the development. He confirmed that he and some members of the national executives have regained access to the secretariat.
He accused some estranged members of the association for organizing the attack. “They have burnt all our documents. You can see what I have been saying, they took us to court, court has not finished, they took us to the Police, the Police have not finished their work, they took us to OPC”, he lamented.
The ANLCA President’s position was corroborated by the Vice President; Mr Kayode Farinto who pointedly accused some a member of the association’s factionalised Board of Trustees (BoT) for masterminding the attack.
He claimed that the hoodlums were armed with guns and charms and that six guns were seized.
Some of the hoodlums were however arrested by the Police. Our correspondent who was on ground counted seven suspects who were arrested by the Police
Meanwhile, the founder National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) Dr. Boniface Aniebonam has called for prayers on behalf of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agent (ANLCA) over the lingering crisis in the association.
Aniebonam while addressing journalist at its secretariat stated that there is urgent need to pray for itssister association (ANLCA) while calling on the leaders of the association to help resolve the lingering crisis in the association.
The NAGAFF founder also warned the association to desist from fighting NAGAFF, as this could be the reason for the unending crisis in the association.
He also admonished the current president of the association, Mr Tony Nwabunike to listen to the immediate past president of the association Prince Olayiwola Shittu, stating that the association needs leaders who will think for the association.
While adding that there is need for the two associations to work together as a team in resolving the various challenges confronting freight forwarders in the country.
According to him, "our sister association should embrace peace and stop fighting, let them out their house in order to support NAGAFF
"What is happening in ANLCA cannot happen in NAGAFF and the reason is because nobody is thinking for ANLCA and that's why they are in shambles.
"ANLCA must listen to Prince Olayiwola Shittu, Tony Iju must listen to Shittu, because during his time Shittu told ANLCA members not to fight NAGAFF and he even led a delegation to NAGAFF headquarters
"How will you think the port will be if NAGAFF and ANLCA combine efforts, ANLCA needs to be put in prayers something is wrong
"What is happening in ANLCA cannot happen in NAGAFF, because there is a structure, why is it difficult for the elders to call the association to order" he questioned.
