By Ruth Sunday
The 100% Compliance Team of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), has petitioned the Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Col. Hammed Ali(rtd) over illegal withholding of 14 vehicles Belonging to its members by Clarion Shipping Terminal
The Compliance Committee said the containers were detained by the Clarion Shipping Terminal since July 2021 for no fault of theirs after duty and other charges had been fully paid.
This was contained in a letter addressed to the Customs CG signed by the National Chairman of 100% Committee of NAGAFF, Alhaji Ibrahim Tanko, made available to Time News Reporter.
According to the letter, the Committee discovered among others that the alleged Terminal mysteriously released 19 containers with out paying demand notice(DN) while bypassing due process.
They accused Clarion Shipping Terminal and the consignee of hatching the Container diversion plot without the knowledge of the agency and they wondered how terminal operators could connive with a consignee to defraud the government.
The Committee not only disclosed that such shady business had been going on for a long time but that such activities by the shipping terminal constitutes an economic risk to the Federal Government.
The 100% Compliance Committee therefore appealed to the CGC to prevail in the management of Clarion Shipping Terminal to release all their 14 vehicles as well as investigate fully to unravel the mystery of the 19 containers saga.
The petition reads: “we write on behalf of our members whose vehicles were trapped at Clarion Shipping Terminal Limited since July 2021 for no fault of theirs and after duty and other charges have been duly paid.
“Upon our investigation into the matter, it was revealed that some 19 containers were allowed to go without paying demand notice (DN) issued to them as well as not following due process. The containers diversion plot was hatched by Clarion shipping terminal and the consignee, without the knowledge of the agency.”
The “The unpaid assessments were over N8.5million
“It battles our association on how the terminal operator can connive with a consignee to defraud the government of such a huge amount of money.
“Our association has discovered that no terminal delivery orders were issued on the said containers by the agency. The diversion was an arrangement between Clarion and the consignee and that shady business has been going on for a long time.
“It is obvious from this standpoint that Clarion Shipping terminal constitutes an economic risk to the federal government
“We, therefore, want to appeal to the CGC to prevail on the management of Clarion Shipping terminal ltd to release all our 14 Vehicles as well as cause a full-scale investigation to unravel the mystery about the 19 containers saga.
“We are counting on the speedy, committed to duty and exceptional attitude of the CG.”
Photo:. Alhaji Ibrahim Tanko, National Chairman NAGAFF 100% Compliance Committee
