Headlines

Joe Sanni feeding fat on ANLCA crisis —-Prince Ozo Chukurah

Prince Ozo Chukwrah is one the most visible freight forwarders in the country and the Vice-Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BOT) of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents(ANLCA).

He was at the forefront of the various peace efforts to resolve the protracted crisis which has bedeviled the association for almost five years now.

In this exclusive interview with our reporter, the ANLCA chieftain highlighted the latest peace moves by the BOT to end the lingering crisis and restore peace to the battle-weary association.

He however accused Joe Sanni, the former Senior Special Assistant(SSA) on Media and Publicity to Prince Olayiwola Shittu, the immediate past president of ANLCA, as the killjoy to all the various peace efforts in the association, accusing him of making merchandise of the crisis as he was continuously fanning the embers of discord through his inflammatory statements which he alleged were bare-faced lies to profit from the unfortunate situation.

What is your reaction to reopening the ANLCA secretariat after it was shut for about two months following the unfortunate incident at Tin Can port where one person was killed?

That narration was totally wrong. The secretariat had been long closed before the incident t your referred to. The Police shut the secretariat over the petition they received that some people wanted to burn the place from the Western zone group. All efforts to dissuade the police from shutting down the place fell through. The police insisted that they will close it for security reasons. That was the reason the secretariat was shut.

Both warring groups went to the Lagos state commissioner of police. I led our team while Taiwo Mustapha led his team. There, the Commissioner of police expressed frustration at the seeming perpetuity of the crisis, saying he was tried. I made my own submission, saying that we too are tired because the matter is so simple. It was a matter between the two boards. The New board and the past board. The new board came and inherited the problems.

The NECOM was initially not part of the problem, but at a stage, they got the NECOM involved because they accused the NECOM of taking sides.

As I have earlier explained in my past interview, there were court cases that barred Tony Iju-led NECOM not to recognize the other party.

It was a court declaration and nobody contested or appealed against that judgment.

Now that the Secretariat has been opened and handed to Tony Iju-led NECOM, what is your reaction? What is the way forward? Where does the association go from there?

Before I answer that question, let me conclude the analysis of our peace efforts before now.

The two groups went to the Commissioner of police where I told him that he has a legal department, and let the other party submit what they have as evidence of being in charge of the secretariat because they were then claiming they have taken over the secretariat when they appointed Pius Ejubomon as interim President while we still have Tony Iju as our President who is in charge.

I asked the police to investigate to find out which of the two contending boards is in charge, is it the one led by Taiwo Afolabi or the one led by Taiwo Mustapha?

That was where we left it with the police.

The Mustaha-led board was genuinely registered but no longer active as of August 26th, 2022 while the new board led by Dr. Afolabi came in on September 7th, 2022. These dates are very sacrosanct and germane to the issue on the ground. they are verifiable.

The Mustapha-led board ceases to be active in the status of the Corporate Affairs Commission(CAC) as at August 26th, 2022. While the new board led by Afolabi came in and issued a certificate on September 7th, 2022. with the names of the nine members of the board printed on the certificate.

This is what we asked the Police to investigate to determine which of the two boards is fake and genuine.

So the police took all legal steps to investigate and found out that the authentic board genuinely registered by the CAC is the one led by Dr. Taiwo Afolabi which is supporting the Tony Iju-led NECOM.

That is why they reopened the secretariat and handed it over to Tony Iju-led NECOM as a confirmation of the authenticity and genuineness of Afolabi-led BOT.

This action by the police has finally vindicated us and settled the issue of the legitimacy of our board.

To be sincere with you, everyone, including Mustapha, knows the truth, probably with the exception of one man, Joe Sanni.

But why are still contesting the ownership of the secretariat with the authentic board?

All this while, Joe Sanni was the lawyer, the judge and the complainant. He has been the one who determines what to say, dishing out falsehood to the public.

I am sure he is feeding fat on this crisis, he is not losing anything. He is massively reaping from it otherwise who among these people is the enemy of Prince Ozo?

Sir Ernest Elochucku, whom I regard as the most intelligent freight forwarder in Nigeria, is my boss and friend. Dennis Okafor is the closest friend to my brother, Chief Mike Nwoko and a close friend to me.

Taye Oyeniyi is another close friend who once made me relinquish my hard-won victory in Tin Can which I later reclaimed with the support of others, including Dayo Aziz who supported me to become the first Igbo ANLCA chapter chairman in Tin Can.

They all also rallied around me when I contested for Zonal coordinator which I eventually won unopposed.

”We should all be concerned, especially those who are close to this man, about his state of sanity.

Is Joe Sanni normal and of sound mind?”

So who among these people is my enemy: none, not even Mustapha whom I have severally met in private to seek peace in ANLCA.

This is a new year, I plead and sue for peace, even if it means going down on my knees. I will do everything possible for us to achieve peace.

We should embrace peace and shun bitterness because time is fast running out.

I will make a proposal to our board and NECOM so that we can convene an AGM/NEC meeting where the suspension of some members could be reversed and they would be reabsorbed into the association for peace to reign.

Most of us in the elective positions in the association are on the final lap of our tenure. We need youths to come up and take over.

Beyond rhetorics sir, what are the concrete steps the Dr. Afolabiled BOT is making to ensure a lasting peace and to placate the aggrieved party?

Only four people from the Mustapha group are qualified to recontest their positions and they are Dayo Aziz, Ernest Elochukwu, Taiwo Mustapha and Dennis Okafor who can join the nine members of the Taiwo Afolabi-led board. We need to amend the constitution to accommodate them. This should not be a problem because laws are made for man and not man for the law.

This is part of the peace efforts the board is willing to make to ensure that this crisis is resolved and lasting peace is restored back to the ANLCA.

Even these people I mentioned, some of them don’t have time for the association again because they are heavyweight. They don’t even have enough time for their numerous business interests. So we need to start to groom some capable youths to take over the leadership of the association.

The second aspect is we should allow all the actions and inactions of Tony Iju to pawn out. Every chapter where he conducted elections should be allowed to serve out its tenure.

Also, if we come together, the board will allow them to be part of the ASECO that will conduct the next elections.

They are too big to be ASECO members but they can send in their representatives to the association’s electoral body.

We run an inclusive government not by appointment but elections.

I was elected as a member of the BOT for six years and I have served out two years, the remaining four years. I am not willing to resign but intend to serve out my tenure.

I have supported all the past members who have served on the board, I never called for their sack or resignation before they served out their tenure, including Taye Oyeniyi, until this crisis started.

Therefore, I am begging everyone concerned to allow peace to reign in the association.

I am calling on all of them to an enlarged meeting where we all jaw-jaw and not war-war so that we can bring the association back to the path of peace.

No victor, no vanquished. We are all winners in this matter.

What happens if the much sought-after peace is not achieved and you know that by April this year when the tenure of the incumbent NECOM expires and we know that constitutionally, the BOT will kick start the process of a new election, What happens if the other group does not back down?

Constitutionally, the BOT takes over the running of the NECOM for 90 days in case of a crisis. Has it not dawned on you now which is the authentic BOT?

Anyway, don’t let us count our chickens before they are hatched. We shall get to the bridge first before we attempt to cross it.

What is going to happen to all the pending court cases? They are numerous and distractive.

I think all the court cases have been disposed off and all their judgments are in the favour of the parent NECOM and the Board. However, only one court case is pending and judgment will come in February. Even at that, the event has overtaken the court case because the man that was praying the court to be allowed to serve out his tenure of office has already served out his tenure. That was Aziz in the Seme chapter.

However, the court will still make its pronouncement despite this fact.

The one in Kano too has been decided.

We have had enough of delays and waste of time. It is time to come together and chart a new course for ANLCA. The crisis has led to lots of pain and loss of time and resources. So I bed all concerned to sheath their swords.

Another criminal case pending was the one where Tony Iju and his group were attacked. We shall look into that and prevail on the complainants to withdraw it if only the other group agrees to embrace peace.

What efforts is the current BOT making to forestall a reoccurrence of this crisis that has nearly torn ANLCA apart?

A. As far as I know, a crisis is part of human life. It is bound to happen where are two or more people, not to talk of a group like ANLCA. Crisis happens in families, countries, religious groups and professional or trade groups like ANLCA and political groups.

What is important is the ability to manage a crisis and navigate through the crisis. That does not mean there will be no crisis.

There are people who were created to foment trouble and create crises while some were born as peacemakers. Both groups will cohabit and coexists.

I wish to appeal to all well-meaning members of this association to prevail on Joe Sanni to stop his current efforts to further destabilize ANLCA despite all efforts to resolve the issues.

He has been fanning the ember of discord and disunity in the association through his inflammatory statement, and the spread of falsehoods, half-truths and outright lies.

He has been peddling lies the certificate of Dr. Taiwo Afolabi-led BOT is fake. Yet he has not been able to take us to the police for forgery which is a criminal case.

He knew that the certificate is fake, why has he not written to the man whose signature was forged on the certificate to take legal action, yet he chooses to spread uncoordinated and incoherent narratives that do not add up to the discerning minds?

In another breath, he was telling the whole world the so-called fake certificate has been canceled and withdrawn by the CAC.

Is that not illogical and laughable? How can the CAC cancel a document that is supposed to be fake which they did not issue?

All these incoherent and illogical narratives of Joe Sanni are a sad reflection of his state of mind.

I enjoined the industry stakeholders to be circumspect and take time to analyse the logic behind some of these mendacious narratives this character is dishing out to the public on this matter.

A fake document cannot be canceled because it is already fake. And the man who is well versed in deciphering fake objects is supposed to write to the police without much ado for investigation.

I think by now we should all have been arrested because forgery is a criminal case.

But instead, the man chooses to spew out falsehood to the public.

We should all be concerned, especially those who are close to this man, about his state of sanity.

Is Joe Sanni normal and of sound mind?

I am as concerned as other true friends of this character called Sanni because he is doing more harm to the peace and progress of ANLCA through his illogical and incorrect utterances.

I appeal to those who are sponsoring him, those paying him for this hatchet job he is doing to desist from paying him if they truly love ANLCA.

He cannot contribute one Kobo in ANLCA, so he enjoying the crisis because he is feeding fat on it.

I am appealing to him to sheath his sword. This is not a personal war.

Enough is enough.

Customs

Beyond euphoria of WCO chairmanship: Stakeholders urge Nigeria to translate global Customs ascendency to reformation of Port industry

Funso OLOJO

The stakeholders at the maritime industry were firm and unanimous in their admonition that the Nigerian government should leverage the ascendency of Nigeria to global Customs top hierarchy to position the Port industry into a world player with improved port efficiency, world class infrastructure and automated port system.

It could be recalled that the Comptroller- General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, in June, 2025 became the first Nigerian to be elected as the Chairman of the World Customs Organization(WCO).

His historic election elicited wild jubilation and encomiums as Nigerians expressed undisguised happiness over the feat.

However, maritime experts who spoke at the one- day seminar organized by the League of Maritime Editors(LOME) in Lagos on Tuesday, September 30th,2025, warned that Nigerians should not be carried away with the historic feat.

The lead speaker, Dr Eugene Nweke, the Head of Research at Sea Empowerment and Research Center (SEREC), who spoke on the theme of the seminar “Nigeria ‘s Chairmanship of WCO Council: The Impact on Nation’s Economy” advised that the position is not a trophy to decorate the shelf but rather it was a call to duty and a rare opportunity for the country to leverage the feat to stimulate its maritime industry.

Represented by Francis Aneze-Chukwu, Dr Nweke, said the country’s new customs global status will pale into insignificance if Nigeria fails to leverage the position to improve Port efficiency, engender reforms and strengthen regulatory laws to protect legitimate trade

Addressing the gathering which cut across operators of the port industry, Nweke declared that Nigeria’s July 1, 2025 assumption of the WCO Council chair—an institution representing over 180 customs administrations and 98 percent of world trade—places the nation under an unforgiving global spotlight.

“This position is not for celebration alone; it is power to influence customs standards and champion Africa’s trade future. Leadership without domestic discipline is hollow,” he said.

He warned that despite Customs generating ₦1.3 trillion in the first quarter of 2025, port congestion and inefficiencies continue to drain an estimated $4 billion annually.

Nweke outlined six key reforms under Comptroller-General of Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi—Time Release Studies, data-driven inspections, advance ruling applications, the Authorized Economic Operator programme, the B’Odogwu single-window migration, and rapid cargo scanners—as the springboard to leverage Nigeria’s WCO status, but cautioned that infrastructure decay, policy flip-flops and entrenched bureaucracy could erode the gains.

Turning his focus to the media, he charged maritime journalists to “educate, interrogate and shape narratives” rather than indulge in “undue praises that make us a collective ridicule,” urging them to become professors of the maritime space and watchdogs of reform.

The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Dr. Akutah Pius Ukeyima, who was also represented by Mrs Margaret Ogbonna, Director Regulatory Services department, insisted that Nigeria’s international leadership must be matched by “strong, clear and enforceable laws” to regulate ports and protect shippers.

He called for the urgent passage of the Nigerian Port Economic Regulatory Agency Bill to give the NSC a statutory mandate to curb monopolies, enforce competition and end opaque concession renewals.

“The world is watching Nigeria, and credibility abroad will only be matched by credibility at home,” he warned.

The former General Manager of Public Affairs at the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Capt. Iheanacho Ebubeogwu, reminded the gathering that the Customs Service remains the frontline enforcer of border laws and the first symbol of government authority at every port.

“For us who are professionals, the rest of you can look at the signboards and say NPA ports, but we insiders know it is first a customs area.

“That is where customs enforce all border fiscal regulations, demonstrate trade facilitation, and show that they can attract foreign investment,” he said.

While congratulating the Comptroller-General on his global appointment, Ebubeogwu warned that the WCO Council is a “salad of interests—country interests, regional interests, diplomacy and politics,” and urged stakeholders to rally behind Adeniyi to protect Nigeria’s and Africa’s stake in the organization.

He called on the maritime press to “manage his image and talk up his reputation” so that Nigeria’s tenure at the WCO strengthens the nation’s profile rather than diminishes it.

Earlier in her welcome address, President of the League of Maritime Editors, Mrs. Remi Itie, described Adeniyi’s election as “a historic moment for Nigeria” and a clear signal of the country’s growing influence in global customs affairs.

She noted that as WCO chair, Adeniyi now provides strategic leadership to the global customs agenda on trade facilitation, revenue optimization, security, and digital transformation.

But she challenged participants to go beyond celebration and interrogate how this elevation will “boost the nation’s growth index and possibly change the narrative concerning Nigeria’s trade and image abroad.”

Calling on government to harness the country’s maritime potential to create jobs for Nigeria’s vast youth population, Itie urged coastal states to look beyond federal allocations and invest in maritime opportunities such as seafaring, fishing, agro-tourism and coastal security.

“We cannot run away from global trade,” she said. “Nigeria has the natural resources to create more jobs through the nation’s maritime potentials.”

The speakers and stakeholders agreed that Nigeria’s WCO chairmanship offers a rare chance to align with global best practices on customs governance and trade facilitation.

But they stressed that prestige alone will not cut cargo dwell times that still average 20–25 days—among the worst in West Africa—nor end the corruption and inefficiency that cost traders billions.

“Let Customs deliver, let industry comply, and let the press profess,” Nweke charged.

The speakers were unanimous in their conviction and submission that Nigeria’s new global customs power is a weapon.

They believed that without decisive reforms, strong laws and relentless enforcement, the global recognition will remain an unused sword while the nation’s ports will continue to wallow in inefficiency and corruption.

The event witnessed presentations of awards to deserving industry players such as the Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, the Executive Secretary of Nigerian Shippers Council NSC Barrister Pius Akutah, the Controller of Lagos A Federal Operations unit of Nigeria Customs Service, Comptroller MS Shuaibu.

Others were the Tin Can Island Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Frank Onyeka, the Assistant Comptroller- General Babatunde Olomu and the Director General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency NIMASA, Dr Dayo Mobereola.

Charles Edike, a retired Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs(ACG) presided over the event.

Headlines

NRC gears up for resumption of Abuja–Kaduna train services, opens platform for ticket payment

Funso OLOJO

Ahead of the scheduled resumption of passenger services on the Abuja–Kaduna Train Service (AKTS) on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, the Nigerian Railway Corporation(NRC) has opened the online ticketing platform for payment.

According to the NRC management, passengers are encouraged to book their tickets online via https://nrc.tps.ng or visit any of the designated stations to purchase their tickets.

“In preparation for the resumption of services, the journey time has been reduced following a review of the Temporary Speed Restriction (TSR) to enhance operations.

” The new schedule is as follows:

New Timetable

Abuja – Kaduna

Idu: 8:45 AM

Kubwa: 9:10 AM

Rigasa (Arrive): 11:47 AM

Kaduna – Abuja

Rigasa: 2:30 PM

Kubwa: 5:12 PM

Idu (Arrive): 5:32 PM

“The NRC appreciates the patience and understanding of its esteemed passengers during the suspension period and assures the public that safety, comfort, and customer satisfaction remain our top priorities” the NRC declared.

Headlines

Resident alleges threat to life over report of vandalized Lagos Water Corporation infrastructure

Our reporter

A middle aged man, Mayowa Alonge, has been accused of vandalizing a critical infrastructure belonging to the Lagos State Water Corporation (LSWC).

The incident occurred at No. 9, Ago-Owu Street, off Kayode Street, Onipanu, Lagos State, where Alonge allegedly broke the bricks and removed the iron lid cover protecting a major pipeline interjection station along the railway axis connecting Ijora Olopa to Iju Waterworks.

According to Niyi Kolawole, the complainant and administrator of the affected family property, Alonge reportedly told some residents in October 2024 that he intended to remove the heavy iron lid of over a century-old interjection point of the LSWC pipeline in the area.

Few days later, it was observed that the bricks had been broken and the heavy iron lid over the manhole had been removed.

This incident reportedly occurred around October 2024.

On noticing that Alonge has allegedly went ahead with the removal of the iron , sparking safety concerns and due to the potential environmental and safety hazards posed by the vandalism, Niyi Kolawole promptly notified the Lagos State Water Corporation in January 2025.

Prior to this, on December 13, 2024, Kolawole had submitted a petition to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Panti,Yaba, Lagos, detailing the vandalism and requesting that the alleged culprit be investigated and held accountable.

Niyi Kolawole further said, he also wrote the Lagos State Governor on the issue, of which he later saw the letter minuted to the Lagos State Water Corporation for action , but nothing has been done up till now.

Kolawole further alleged that Mayowa Alonge was invited by the police and reportedly confessed to committing the crime and selling the iron for ₦133,000.

He also said Alonge later claimed to have bribed the officers in charge with ₦350,000 to have the case dropped.

He further alleged that during a visit to the State CID at Panti for verification, some police officers pressured him to drop the case, with one officer reportedly threatening to detain him if he returned.

Although petitions were sent to the Lagos State Government, the DCP, Panti and the Managing Director of Lagos State Water Corporation and agents visited the crime scene to verify the claims, no action has been taken to address the issue so far .

Furthermore, Kolawole said for being a good citizen by reporting such collateral damage to government asset and threat to human lives , instead of being commended, he is being threatened, including Mayowa Alonge and his relatives, lamenting that his life and that of his family is in great danger.

Kolawole is therefore urging the Lagos State Government to urgently secure the manhole with a durable lid like the old type to prevent flooding and potential accidents involving children and pedestrians, particularly as the culprit continues to evade justice and community safety being risked.

In response to our reporter phone call, the accused, Mayowa Alonge, said he removed the said Lagos State Water Cooperation manhole lid when they carried out renovation of their grand father’s house where they currently reside at No 9,Ago- Owu Street, off Kayode Street, Onipanu.

The renovation, he said, was jointly funded with Debo Kolawole who is his cousin and a brother to Niyi.

He further explained that the manhole lid is located at the setback between their house and the railway line known as railway axis interjection station running from Ijora Olopa to Iju Water Works, Lagos State.

Alonge further said Niyi petitioned the State Criminal Investigation Department(SCID), Musiliu Smith Street, Panti -Yaba, Lagos accusing him of taking the said lid and sold to scrap metal dealers.

“I never sold the water Cooperation manhole lid nor bragged of bribing the police.

“I told the police I sold the metal scraps removed from the renovated house for ₦133,000.

“The police however ordered me to go and replace the lid. I have not been able to do so because I presently do not have any job to enable me fund it. Am hopeful of doing so soonest”, Mayowa Alonge, the accused, told our reporter on phone .

On the other hand , when our reporter called the Chief Security Officer(CSO) of the Lagos State Water Cooperation, Mr Babajide Kassim and Mr Bimbo an independent security agent sent to investigate the vandalism, both declined to speak when contacted.

They both evaded answering the questions from our reporter that bothered on safety of Lagosians and criminality rather was seeking to know how our reporter was able to get their phone numbers regardless of the fact they are public figures. They however abruptly terminated the calls with our reporter.