The National Compliance Joint Taskforce of Licensed Clearing Agents (NCJIFLCA),  has sought the support and collaboration of the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria, (MARAN)  to eliminate illegal checkpoints set up by Customs and other agencies on the nation’s trade routes,  primarily designed to extort Nigerians and indirectly increase the cost of living in the country.

The group, made up of clearing agents, security personnel, and other well-meaning Nigerians, also vowed to stop illegal seizures of duly cleared consignments at the ports by operatives of the Customs Federal Operations Unit(FOU), affirming that these illegalities have put Nigeria in a bad light among the comity of nations.

Speaking on Thursday, November 20th, 2025 during a courtesy visit to the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN) International Conference Center, Apapa, Lagos, the President of the Association, Dr. Basil Chudi Nwolisa, noted that part of the visit was to seek a partnership with MARAN to help expose these illegalities and nip them in the bud.

According to him, the Nigerian Port Industry is currently facing numerous man-made challenges, primarily stemming from human weaknesses, adding “the most pressing issues include non-compliance with established rules and regulations, such as the ALERT system; deliberate withholding of container deposit refunds by shipping companies; frequent arrests and seizures by FOU of containers duly examined and released by authorized Customs officers and other federal government agencies; delays experienced by Customs Clearance Agents at the hands of terminal operators; and extortion of Nigerian trucks on highways.

He noted that, “These challenges have become an embarrassment to our country before the international trade community.”

Explaining that the group was formed  to help Nigeria and Nigerians overcome corruption in the maritime industry and on our highways, he noted however, that “We cannot achieve this goal alone and hereby invite the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria to collaborate with us to ensure the success of this noble project.”

He promised that with this collaboration and in “the next 12 months,” every Nigerian, including MARAN, will be proud of what the taskforce would have achieved in this direction.

Arguing that the multiplicity of checkpoints by Customs is not in the interest of Nigerians but for some people to enrich their pockets, he said, “If somebody brought goods, and they’re examined in the port, and they’re released in the port, what business do Customs have to stop it?

But he noted that when some officers see that the volume of the money that is coming out is high, they will set up various checkpoints, and if Nigerians do not stand against it, it will continue to escalate.

 “We are just trying to educate Nigerians and tell them that the road blocks and the checkpoints are bringing shame to us and it is also increasing the cost of goods in the market.”

He gave a scenario where genuine Nigerians who transport perishable commodities across cities have been frustrated and put out of business by these illegal checkpoints created by even NDLEA and the likes.

The Chairman of the three- member Caretaker Committee which was recently inaugurated to oversee the affairs of MARAN pending the conduct of  elections, Tunde Ayodele, gave the task force the assurance that MARAN will collaborate with the body to fight the illegalities on Nigeria’s trade routes.

” As a responsible media organization which believes in the sanctity of the project called Nigeria, MARAN is committed to collaborating with any nationalistic group, including your organization, to help enthrone safe,sane and friendly business environment devoid of extortions, trade barriers but one which encourages free and  unencumbered business environment” declared Ayodele.

The MARAN Caretaker Committee Chairman however assured the members of the task force to count on the support of the media association in their task to rid the country’s borders and other trade routes of any form of illegalities.

Meanwhile, the taskforce,which had all its officers in attendance during the courtesy visit, used the opportunity to invite MARAN to its third anniversary celebration, scheduled to take place at Rockview Hotel, Festac Town, on Wednesday, 10th December, 2025.

 The event will also include the birthday celebration of their National President, High Chief Dr. Basil Chudi Nwolisa, a fundraising program, and the inauguration of their various chapters.

The group was officially welcomed by a team of the newly inaugurated MARAN Caretaker Committee led by Tunde Ayodele.