Emma Okonji
The Courier Regulatory Department (CRD) of the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST), on Tuesday in Lagos, raided two courier companies over unethical practices.
The courier regulatory body also revoked the licences of 14 courier companies for various offenses ranging from non-renewal of operational licence for up to five years period; operating under cover; unethical, as well as sharp practices that are capable of swindling innocent customers who transact business with them.
The action of CRD is in line with its ongoing efforts to rid the courier industry of unethical practices indulged by most operators, in an attempt to defraud customers who place documents in their care for safe delivery.
The two courier companies whose offices were sealed, were Nation Delivery Services and Kungo Rock Worldwide Express, both located in Ikeja, Lagos. Courier waybills and courier dispatch motorcycle were discovered with the two operators as evidences that they operate courier business in the country, yet they have no operational licence for doing so, thereby depriving government of its revenue. Aside short-changing government, such courier operators defraud customers since they operate under cover because they were not licensed to operate in the country.
Those whose licences were revoked, included Abia City Express, Baxglobal Intercontinental Express, Datol Express Courier Service, Ezex Courier services, Gulf Agency and Shipping, Hand 2 Hand Courier, and Helpline Handling and Logistics. Others are Interline Shipping Ltd, Mast Logistics Ltd, Nedlink Courier, Pacific Logistics International, Palsy-Walsy Ltd, PurpleBlue Courier Services and Roadmarks Nigeria Ltd. All the 14 courier companies operate from Lagos, with branch offices outside Lagos.
Senior Assistant Postmaster General and Head of CRD, Dr. Simon Emeje, told journalists shortly after the revocation that the 14 courier operators, henceforth, have ceased to operate as courier companies in the country. He advised Nigerians to stop patronising them, insisting that any customer who decides to do business with them, will be doing so a great risk.
“Henceforth we will closely monitor them and we will make sure they do not operate as courier operators in Nigeria anymore,” Emeje said.
He explained that the 14 operators have been operating under cover for some years without operating licences, a situation, he said, remained dangerous to customers who may want to place vital documents in their care for clearing and delivery. He cited cases where documents were handed to some of the operators, and the documents were not delivered, even when money had been paid for the delivery service.
Emeje vowed to sanitise the courier industry and free it from sharp and unwholesome practices that are capable of defrauding customers.
Prior to the revocation, CRD had 283 registered courier operators across the country, but the number dropped to 269 after the recent revocation.
