LAGOS JULY 5TH (NEWSRNAGERS)- The Managing Principal of AZ Logistics Limited, Dr. Azeez Abayomi Mustapha has expressed concern over the increasing spate of extortion, intimidation, high-handedness, unprofessionalism and other unlawful activities that have continued to cast the country in the bad light.
The freight forwarder and logistics expert blamed some unprofessional conducts by clearing agents on sheer lack of information. He called on the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria(CRFFN) to embark on regular training of clearing agents to sanitize the industry.
Dr. Mustapha who was a guest during Congress of Nigerian Maritime Media Practitioners- (CONMMEP) Monthly Round Table on Thursday, 3rd of July, 2025, said that most of the losses incurred by importers, exporters and genuine stakeholders in the port industry are caused by the activities of some unpatriotic Nigerians who believe that the only way to become wealthy is to cut corners or indulge in fraudulent activities.
According to Mustapha, “when you visit Nigerian ports you see all manner of people, some carrying polythene bags about claiming to be clearing agents. If you investigate them thoroughly, you will find out that they do not have physical offices and lack the knowledge of the field they claim they are into.
“But Kudos to the CRFFN that is now trying so hard to separate the wheat from the chaff. I think there are still more to it, even up until now, there are various challenges facing the sector. Customers don’t want to hear “l am still at it,” what they want is solution, what they want is their shipments.
“I want to say that at in AZ Logistics, we don’t know majority of our customers. They contact us on referral, people recommend us to them. And when someone refers a product or service to another person, there are two things involved, it is either they have a good relationship or the product is very good. This is what we are enjoying and we do not intend to compromise our integrity now or any time in future.
“AZ Logistics basically covers all logistics areas. We are into import documentation, Customs clearance, perishable items, industrial equipment and general cargo. We have clients in all sectors of the economy. We are into export as well, and we do also do what we call End to End. At AZ Logistics, we can do shipment from here to anywhere in the world, we do what we call Door to Door delivery. In shipment, we can process shipment from anywhere in the world and bring it to the doorstep of our client without stress in both import and export, and that is what we know how best to do.”
On the alleged extortion of transporters via the Eto call up system, Dr Mustapha has this to say, “l can say that the E-Call up system is a good one. We all know how the Apapa port corridor used to be back then, but if we are talking of extortion, l cannot say much because the issue of corruption is what we cannot address out rightly since almost every sector is deeply involved in corruption.
“ I am sorry to say that corruption is what we cannot eliminate completely in Nigeria because there is a sheer lack of will power. There is a difference between finding solution and extortion, if you have a solution to a turn around time, as it takes a truck about one or two weeks to access a terminal just to load one container. Imagine the revenue loss, and at the end of the day, it is the end users like you and l that bear the bront. So the extortion via the Eto call up system has always been there and you and l have no control over that. I think it is contracted to a certain company by the NPA, and we must bear in mind that operators of Truck Transit Points (TTP) are in the business to make money and proffer solution as well, but the fact remains that there are some bad eggs that must in one way or the other, device means of making quick money for themselves and that is Nigeria for you.”
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