Capt. Adamu Biu, NSC boss

John Iwori

Aggrieved shippers in the country have got a reprieve following the  recovering of not less than N5 million in the last six months by Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC).
NSC  was said to have recovered a total of N5, 228,536.03 for aggrieved shippers between January and June, this year.
The recovery of the money was said to be in line with NSC’s quest to protect the interest of shippers across the country.

The amount was recovered from 33 cases reported to the NSC’s Complaints Unit out a total of 56 cases it received.
NSC Deputy Director, Public Relations, Mr. Ignatius Nweke, who confirmed the development, said the claims were recovered from damaged cargo, refusal to refund excess payment rent due to overrating, exorbitant charges above storages and charges on demurrage after return of empty containers.

Others are charges higher than required amount on 40-foot container, alleged over-invoicing, unjustifiable delay on container deposit refund and excessive charges on imported cargoes.

Established over three decades ago by a decree, NSC is saddled with the responsibility of protecting the interest of Nigerian importers and exporters.
It was in a bid to attain its set goals and objectives that it established the Shippers’ Compliant Unit, where complaints from exporters and importers are received and subsequently followed up for recovery of monies were applicable.

The council had in collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and the International Police Organisation (Interpol), arrested  a suspected fraudster believed to be a Briton, who allegedly posed as an Iceland-based stock fish dealer, and goes by a number of names including Mike Harding and Nigel Francis.

The suspect was alleged to have fraudulently duped a group of stock fish importers based in Aba, Abia State to the tune of $774,477.