The 100% Compliance Team of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders NAGAFF has petitioned the Port Police Command over allegation of theft of cargo examination samples by security operatives at the APM Terminals, Apapa in Lagos.

In a letter dated July 12, 2024 and addressed to the Commissioner of Police, Western Ports, and signed by its National Coordinator, Ibrahim Tanko, the group alleged that the security operatives at the APM Terminals are in the habit of arresting suspects, who pilfer samples of imported goods extracted for the purpose of cargo examination and retain the same goods in their office.

It also alleged that the security men usually allow such suspects to go their way instead of arresting them and handing them over the Police with the suspected stolen items, which would be used as exhibits during prosecution when the need arises, urging the Commissioner to do everything within his powers to address this anomaly.

The group further argued that it has continued to criticise a situation in the past where some freight forwarders would go out of their way to confiscate sample items from imported containers for private use, arguing that if the group would call out freight forwarder colleagues over such misconduct, it should not be seen to keep quiet when other port operators indulge in similar misconduct.

The letter entitled ‘A case of theft, taking and confiscating containerised goods as samples arising from Customs examination of containers by security staff at APMT’ reads in part:                                                  “We, on behalf of our association, particularly the Compliance Team write to bring to the attention of your good office the manner with which the security officials at APMT; after allegedly apprehending persons who are accused of stealing and or take samples from containers at the Customs examination bay in APMT terminal, take, seize the goods, and thereafter allow those persons to go scot free without handing those persons and the stolen goods over to the men and officers of your command who are statutorily saddled with the responsibility of securing the port.

“ While we, as an organisation fight relentlessly against reckless sampling by our fellow freight forwarders and government agencies, we are saddened and taken aback to report the flagrant seizure of goods and items from different agents at the Customs examination bay by the APMT security officers. The intriguing thing is that, those items seized are taken to their White House office, where they are kept in heaps and cartons, without taking them alongside with those caught with those items to the Port Police. In effect they will take the items to their office, keep them there, allow the suspected perpetrators to go, this acts of course cannot deter the perpetrators rather will make them to steal more.

“If we may ask, howbeit rhetorically; what authority does these APMT security staff have to take, confiscate and afterwards retain samples? Why are the samples not returned to the containers from where they were taken or allegedly stolen in the first place?

“Why are those samples always kept at the APMT office instead of the Port Police? Why are the suspects allegedly apprehended not handed over to the Port Police for further investigation and possibly face prosecution? These and other questions are obviously begging for quick answers. We therefore based on these above facts, implore you to kindly arrest the situation and put a stop to this obvious extortion and over-stepping of bounds.