NIPOST Raids Offices of Unlicensed Courier and Logistics Operators, Impounds Motorcycles

Category: Nigeria News

The Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) has raided unlicensed and illegal courier and logistics operators in Katsina State, sealing some of their offices and impounding some motorcycles.

The general manager, Courier and Logistics Regulatory Department (CLRD) of the NIPOST, Mr. Dotun Shonde, said the main goal of the exercise was to sanitize the sector, which he said was infiltrated by unlicensed and illegal operators nationwide.

“There abound the issue of public safety and security threat due to carriage of illicit drugs and prohibited items like small arms and ammunition, guns, gold, monies and obscene items.

“There exist unethical sharp practices, such as price undercutting, pilfering, broaching, damages, loss and dumping of customers items, poaching and subletting of operating licenses with mountain of public complaints about customer’s being duped or obtaining money from them under false pretenses, no traceable office address nor registered brand name.

“Overloading and carriage of items above the stipulated 50kg, which has created and increased public disdain towards this noble profession, is worrisome,” he said.

Mr Shonde said that in Katsina alone, more than 200 illegal operators were identified.

He said most of them were served with demand notice, but they failed to comply, adding that NIPOST would not rest on its oars until there is sanity in the sector.

He called on those with genuine business intention to follow the due process and get registered with NIPOST or face the wrath of the law.

Daily Trust on Sunday observed that while some of the suspected unlicensed and illegal operators had their offices sealed, others had their courier/dispatch/delivery motorcycles impounded until they complied with the extant laws and laid down procedure for registration in Nigeria.