GTBank ‘Server’ N200b Compensation: ANLCA Disassociates Self

BY EGUONO ODJEGBA

The interim National Officers of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), has asked the management of Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank)  not to fall for the demand for the payment of the sum of N200 billion as compensation for disruption of the it’s server service which affected payment of customs duty payment, recently; noting that those making the demands are out to swindle them.

A statement dated …. and signed by the group’s Acting National Secretary, Joe Sanni  advised GTBank to disregard giving those making above demand audience,  saying they are impostors and not in the position to make such demand.

It will be recalled that a former National Secretary of ANLCA, Mukaila Abdulazeez and others purportedly acting on behalf of the association demanded the payment of N200 billion compensation they said they will use to defray demurrages and losses incurred by customs agents and freight forwarders during the disruption of the customs linked ICT server, which aids the payment of duty collection by commercial accredited banks.

Similarly, the association’s acting national leaders have called on the management of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to henceforth cease from giving attention to the expired national executive committee (NECOM) to which Babatunde Mukaila belongs; as such actions may continue to convey wrong impressions in the minds of unsuspecting members of the public.

According to Sanni, the issues that led to the service disruption has been addressed by NCS, even as said customs brokers are not importers but agents who act as go-between in the payment of customs duty.

The statement reads: “The public’s attention is hereby drawn to the misleading report on above subject matter that appeared in some online news-media on the 15th of September 2022, to the effect that “ANLCA has requested for the payment of over N200billion demurrage by Customs Brokers and Freight Forwarders as a result of GTB suspension…….”

“No member/members of ANLCA were consulted before the said engagement. Whoever interfaced with GTB is only doing so for his personal gains and not on behalf of ANLCA.

“Alhaji Mukaila Babatunde Abdulazeez who was reported as representing ANLCA, is no longer the National Secretary of ANLCA.”

In the disclaimer, Sanni said the leadership executive Abdulazeez represented expired since April 16, 2022, having commenced on March 8, 2018.

He explained that the issues that gave rise to the disruption of the infrastructure services has been addressed and urged stakeholders to be wary of those who may wish to swindle them.

He advised stakeholders and the general public to always be at alert to ward off impostors.

“The issues that prompted the challenge with the payment channels/infrastructure of GTB, has been addressed by the Federal Government revenue collectors – Nigeria Customs Service.

“Customs Brokers are not importers paying the Customs Duty through the Banks, neither are they the Bank that is affected by the suspension. Customs Brokers serves as interface between the importing/exporting publics and the Nigeria Customs Service that licenses Customs Brokers to operate within their ICT infrastructure.”

He commended the efforts of GTBank in resolving the technical challenge that led to the unfortunate server disruption.

Sanni also enjoined maritime reporters not to lend their mediums for the propagation of falsehood and fake news but to strive to promote truth and social justice.

Speaking further on the matters of GTBank server breakdown and the demand for compensation by Babatunde Abdulazeez and co, the acting National Secretary said the former lacks the legitimacy and capacity to represent ANLCA.

“Mukaila Abdulazeez as an individual lacks the intellectual capacity to think through issues, not to talk about sitting down anywhere to articulate or discuss matters concerning several stakeholders and the entire membership of ANLCA.

“This erstwhile National Secretary, who has been recklessly violating Justice Rilwan Aikawa’s subsisting court order in Suit No. FHC/L/CS/921/2020 since 26/8/2020, when ordered to desist from parading himself as a National Officer of ANLCA and to stop signing any document on behalf of ANLCA, hasn’t stopped thinking that he is still a National Secretary, even after months of expiration of his tenure as National Secretary.

“Let those propping him up by giving him a false sense of authority take further notice that, Mukaila is a fugitive, who is constantly on the run from the long arms of the law, having been served the necessary contempt charges forms, which he has signed for.

“On the 16th of February 2021, he signed an undertaking at the Area E’ Nigeria Police Command in Festac Town, to respect all court orders. He failed woefully to do so. He continued unabashedly to disobey valid court orders with impunity.

“Justice may be slow in being dispensed, but consequences of disobedience shall surely be served sometime soon.

Nemesis will soon catch up with him, as he has engineered the burning of a generator in the National Secretariat of ANLCA and removed one of the vehicles parked therein near the generator, under the watchful eyes of the two policemen he personally engaged and funded at the National Secretariat.

“Once again, I plead, the public should stop being misled by Mukaila Abdulazeez. He is just impersonating the Association.”