Following the arrest of a clearing agent, Otunba Sunday Oyebola who is a chieftain of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) over alleged importation of psychotropic drugs by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) recently, ANLCA has directed its members to ensure importers sign Indemnity Form before any cargo will be cleared at the ports.
Briefing newsmen in Lagos regarding the recent arrest of its member, the acting President of ANLCA, DrKayode Farinto noted that the association has overtime urged her members to ensure that the indemnity form is signed before deciding to take up a consignment for clearance.
According to him “We called this press briefing to first of all correct the erroneous impression going round that ANLCA chieftain is involved in the clearance of illicit drugs and psychotropic substance and also reiterate all our efforts in the last few months to enlighten our members on the role to play, particularly during cargo clearance.
“We are collaborating with NDLEA. It’s our responsibility. Otunba Sunday Oyebola is a senior member of ANLCA and one of the chapters executive at PTML. He is involved in the clearing of a container said to contain three vehicles but unfortunately at the point of examination, loud and some psychotropic substances were found in that container.
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“Let me say this, Otunba Sunday Oyebola is just a clearing agent. He is not the importer of the consignment and the consignment was not consigned in his name.
“This issue is now being politicised. It is a national issue and we should have concern as regards the safety of our environment.
“In the last one year, the level of psychotropic substances has been on the increase. You will recall that when we had our first NEC meeting this year, we advised our members to start given their importers indemnity form. At the second NEC meeting, we advised that members should protect themselves by making sure that the importer sign the indemnity form and go a step further by notorising it. So if it is notorised, you would have been seen to have done due diligence even if the consignment contains illicit drugs. In such situation, the agent will be on the side of the law.
“If Otunba Sunday Oyebola had yielded to this advice, he would have been a friend to NDLEA and will be trying to assist them to unravel the importer, and not be in their net as a suspect.
“Also on the 21st of June we were concern about the fact that as an association, what’s going to be our responsibility. How do we collaborate with NDLEA in ensuring that illicit drugs are not facilitated from the waterways?
“So we put up a letter to the Canadian embassy requesting for working visit. The issue of illicit drugs and psychotropic substances from Canada is on the rise. We told the ambassador that we need to have a meeting with him including his economic attaché.
“So we want to have a one on one with the Canadian ambassador and provide solution so that our members will not be at the receiving end.
“The rate of the importation of the drugs is increasing and the first person that suffers it is the clearing agent. We want to see how we can nip this in the bud.”