By Kenneth Jukpor
The Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) is set to petition the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba over alleged use of the Nigerian Policemen by some expelled members of the association to perpetuate nuisance and disrupt peace in the association.
The association at a press briefing on Thursday, while reacting to the recent attack on its national secretariat by alleged hoodlums led by expelled members of the association in company of some Policemen condemned the act even as the body said investigation into what transpired has begun.
The Vice President of the association, Dr. Kayode Farinto stated that the NPF goofed for not carrying out due investigation before being used to carry out an illegal act on the national secretariat.
Speaking earlier, the National Secretary of ANLCA, Mr. Babatunde Mukaila informed that the attack on the secretariat was carried without any court bailiff from the court noting that the sealing of the secretariat is illegal, he informed that the attacked on the secretariat was carried out while some members of the NECOM where at the National Assembly on the invitation of Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Customs & Excise Duty, Mr. Leke Abejide, to speak on the CBN new policy on e-invoicing.
According to Mukaila, the hoodlums were allegedly led by factional board chairman, Alhaji Taiwo Mustapha with the help of the police.
Mukaila informed that the Police were deceived with a court order obtained in 2019 purportedly trying to unseat the Tony Iju led present NECOM.
Meanwhile, he said the order was challenged in court after 14 days stating that the case is in court and as such cannot be used as a ground to seal up the secretariat.
Mukaila informed that the hoodlums burgled the gate and beat up members of staff they met at the secretariat including corp members serving their father’s land in respective department at the ANLCA secretariat with cane.
Explaining further, he said: “We were told they came with three policemen from Festac and multitude of hoodlums who came with daggers and all sort, they cut off the padlocks they destroy the main car entrance went to the main entrance to destroy whatever they could. They deflated all the car tyres and beat up all the people they met including the NYSC corpers, the end result is what everyone now knows that Taiwo Muatapha led the gang that purportedly took-over the secretariat without any warrant from the police.
“I want to state that there is no court bailiff present in that premises because if any court is coming to enforce any judgement with the police, the bailiff of the court ought to be there.
“After that, they left and position those three police men and truck loads of soldiers there. On arrival we move straight to the Area Command of Festac unfortunately the Area Commander has closed but we met some officers who were able to give us hint that the court order that was gotten in August 2019 purportedly trying to unseat the Tony Iju present NECOM that was challenged in court after 14 days and the case is in court.”
“So, the IG ordered the AIG Zone 2, the AIG then ordered the Area Command the Area Command then ordered the DPO to enforce that order, but today we’ve been with the Area Command and the DPO to prove our case that the order is a spent order, so it is not supposed to be in the interest of Police without inviting the other party.”
“The interesting truth about the order is that the plaintiff, Obokun freight forwarder told their counsel that they aren’t interested in the case anymore rather they want out of court settlement.”
“We have the certified true copy of that proceeding of the court where their lawyers pronounced that they want out of court settlement and that the judge is giving us four weeks to seat together.”
“A man who is not party to the suit led thugs to the secretariat to beat up NYSC corpers and women with cane and I have presented the case at the DPO’s office in Festac.”
“The parents of the corpers they beat will report to the police station tomorrow so that Mustapha can give reasons and explain the offense of those children before they were beaten up” he queried.
