Customs, bonded terminal operators sets up panel over missing container

In apparent reaction to the recent  allegation of missing containers at some bonded terminals in Lagos, the Association of Bonded Terminal Operators (ABTO) has constituted a panel to investigate the circumstances which surrounded the disappearance.
 The container got missing while being transferred from Denca Bonded warehouse to Duncan Bonded facilities in Apapa under Customs escort.
Public relations officer of the association Mr Tope Ogungbemile said that the situation has been brought to the notice of the group, adding the group has constituted a panel to look into disappearance of the said container.
He assured that the committee’s findings would be made public as soon as its report was ready.
Ogungbemile who is also the managing director of Michelle Bonded Terminal also disclosed that the Nigeria Customs Service has also commenced investigations into the development and  added that  “ it is true that a container actually got missing and two of our members are involved and we have set up a Committee to find the true picture of the situation. “We are aware that the Customs is also investigating the matter, we have constituted own Committee.
According to him, this is the first time the association is officially getting report of a missing container. “This is the first time a case of container missing in transit is being reported to the association, there are lots of guidelines involved in the transfer of container from ports to terminal, from terminal to terminal.
“We have security from the Federal Operations Unit that must escort the container from point ‘A’ to ‘B’, there are other security arrangement put in place to ensure that the container get to its destination safely.
Explaining further, the group’s spokesman said that there are lots of guidelines involved in the transfer of container from one point to another, adding that the association will want to know if any of these guidelines were breached.
“Whoever is transferring the container must have some documentation to show the state of the container likewise the recipient of the container must also have documentation to show that the container was actually received. “I do not want to pre-empt the work of the Committee, we will wait for the outcome of the panel before we take the appropriate sanction any body found wanting.
“Already we have spoken to some of the parties involved and we have gotten useful information from them, the government is already aware of this particular case, and there is no way any body can escape the wrath of the law”