The National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) has faulted calls by Nigerians on the federal government to ban imports coming from Turkey into Nigeria describing the calls as misplaced.
Some Nigerians have advocated that federal government bans imports from Turkey into Nigeria following the level of illegal arms import that were shipped from the country to Nigeria in the first eight months of 2017.
But reacting to the calls, the National President of NAGAFF, Chief Increase Uche posited that goods from a particular country is not just banned as the world now is a global village.
Uche however advised that rather than ban imports from Turkey from entering Nigeria, federal government through the Nigeria Customs Service should beam its searchlight on anything coming from that country so that results of investigations carried out on those goods coming from there would be enough to guide Nigeria to severe trade relationship with Turkey.
According to him,”It is just that these other ones, the owners were unfortunate that they caught them. If you look at it, it is the same set of people. It doesn’t call for any ban for me, but the government should now be more vigilant even with our nationale that are going to Turkey or coming back from Turkey. The Immigration officers alongside other security agencies should be on alert to know why those people are visiting Turkey. That should be the area they should be looking at not banning anything.
“It is only when they allow things from Turkey to Nigeria that they will be able to trace the source of it but if they ban it now, it is possible that they will route it through another country and it will still come and once it is routed through another country, it is more dangerous. It is better they allow it in and then go on with secret investigation”.
On the arms importation, Uche however pointed out that arms did not fall under the import prohibition list adding that importation of arms into the country only when you have the necessary approvals from the National Security Adviser and obtain an end user certificate.
“Pump action is not conventional item used by soldiers and police. It could be for games, it could be for self defense but somebody shouldn’t say that it is a banned item because it is not under the import prohibition list. But importing them in tha quantity, it then means you are a dealer and approval must cover you as an arms dealer”, he said.
On the linkage of the Turkish Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Abdulkadir Erkahraman to the activities of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in Nigeria, the NAGAFF boss added,”It may be possible that you are not aware of some recent developments in the IPOB/Nigerian Army clash. After we saw video of this Turkish man defending the course of IPOB, the Turkish Embassy came out recently to say that he is not a Diplomat and that he is not representing Turkey.
“So, in that case, it is clear that even if the man is from Turkey, he may be operating on a different pedestal. But where he is linked to the so called importation or whatever, that is their business but for now, I don’t think they have been able to arrest any member of IPOB with arms. So, if they have not been able to prove any since they started, it will still be in the realm of speculation”, he added.
Send your news, press releases/articles to augustinenwadinamuo@yahoo.com. Also, follow us on Twitter @reportersinfo and on Facebook on facebook.com/primetimereporters or call the editor on 07030661526, 08053908817.
