…Assures on conduct of chapter executives elections soon
Barely one month after the National Secretariat of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) was attacked by hired thugs, the National President of the association, Chief Iju Tony Nwabunike has finally opened up on the attack.
Speaking a statement personally signed by him in Lagos on Tuesday, Nwabunike stated that the public statement became necessary following series of media enquiries, genuine concern by members of the association and the general public.
Recall that suspected hoodlums numbering over 40 invaded the national secretariat of ANLCA at about 9.30 am on October 6, 2020 wielding guns, matchetes and charms.
The National President noted that the Gestapo style invasion which took everyone working at the secretariat unaware resulted in robbery, looting and destruction of the association’s properties while the invaders searched round for him and other members of the National Executive Committee (NECOM).
According to him, “Fortunately, most of the national officers they wanted to physically attack were not in the building during the raid that lasted for about 30 minutes before the very timely and lifesaving intervention of police officers from Festac Police station.
“To say that we, the NECOM members escaped death is stating the obvious because the attackers were out for our lives.”
He further disclosed that on sighting the police, most of the hoodlums fled while 9 members of the gang were arrested with their guns, charms and other harmful objects.
“In their struggle and resistance against lawful arrest, the hoodlums injured a police officer, Sergeant Abadariki F. who was hospitalized after the incident.
“As law abiding organization, with leadership that believes in God, we are grateful to our creator for saving us from an attempt to gruesomely murder us by persons whose desperation has been brought to the fore for all to see”, he said.
The ANLCA boss added that NECOM was further carrying out its own independent investigation to truly ascertain the level of collateral damage to their facilities with the view to quantifying the destruction done in monetary terms including cash stolen by the hoodlums.
He said, “Our move for evaluation was stalled by recent protests and curfew that slowed down activities throughout Lagos State and other parts of the country.
“The suspects arrested in connection with the incident have been charged to court and we are following the process as the law takes its course. ANLCA as law abiding institution will refrain from commenting on the matter which is in court as doing so will be subjudice.
“The leadership of ANLCA under my watch is not and will never be cowed or trapped in the shenanigan of disgruntled elements who are bent on destroying the oldest and most organized customs brokers organization in Nigeria.
“As such the NECOM is not leaving any stone unturned as it has petitioned relevant government security agencies to ensure that those criminally minded elements who carried out the mayhem on our secretariat and their sponsors are made to face full wrath of the law.
“Our association under my watch will continue to carry out our legitimate duties as enshrined in the ANLCA Supreme Constitution and we call on all our members across the country to go about their normal businesses without fear, intimidation or allowing themselves to be incited against the legitimate leadership of the association.”
The President also informed the various chapters of the association to prepare for their respective election of the chapter executives as their constitutional rights guaranteed in the ANLCA Supreme Constitution and to disregard any empty threats from those individuals who he said don’t mean well for the association.
“Finally, I want to assure all our members that this NECOM under my leadership will continue to negotiate and fight for right of members so that they will keep carrying out their businesses without any form of threat and intimidation. Many thanks to our friends and members of the public for their prayers, support and good wishes throughout this impasse”, he concluded.
Photo: ANLCA National President, Chief Iju Tony Nwabunike.
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