The Human Rights Monitors has written a letter to request the leadership of Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), to investigate a case of Alleged Corruption and Fraudulent conduct of one of it members in the field of clearing and Forwarding business at Apapa Port in Lagos State.
According to the letter signed by Comrade Buna Olaitan Isiak, the Executive Director of Human Rights Monitoring Agenda (HURMA), a woman and her relative contacted the human rights office via a public complaint radio program to lodge a complaint about the accused person, Mr. Monsur Ige who allegedly collected 2.5m without doing the work.
The HURMA letter reads: “Our office was recently contacted through our weekly Human Rights program “Labe-Ofin” (Rule of Law) on Bond FM 92.9, Radio Nigeria, by relatives of an aggrieved Nigerian who allegedly fall victim of fraud in the hand of a registered clearing agent in Lagos”
The original copy of the letter of complaint to the human rights office was attached to the letter sent to ANLCA office. The letter states:
“A LETTER OF COMPLAINT TO REPORT CORRUPTION/ FRAUDULENT COLLECTION OF MONEY BY A REGISTERED CLEARING AGENT AT APAPA PORT, MR. MONSUR IGE OF SAL-MUT VENTURES LTD AT NO 9A/11 AERODROMES, APAPA WHARF, LAGOS STATE.
REQUEST FOR YOUR INTERVENTION FOR JUSTICE “.
“I wish to bring to your office for possible intervention to get justice, a case of fraud and cheating by one Mr. Monsur Ige who operates a Clearing and Forwarding business to dupe people and I happened to be one of the recent victims.
The company’s name is Sal-Mut Ventures LTD, Clearing and Forwarder at No 9a/11 Aerodromes, Beside Eleganzer building, Apapa wharf in Lagos State.
“In 2019, Mr. Monsur Ige of Sal-Mut Ventures LTD was introduced to me by a Shipper as a practicing Clearing Agent at Apapa Port to help me clear a container that I assisted some people to send to Nigeria. The Container contained 4 vehicles. Mr. Monsur Ige gave me a quotation of Two Million and Five Hundred Thousand (2.5 million) for the whole 4 vehicles. I paid him One Million (1m) deposit to start the job in December 2019. I did a good follow up with the job because some of the owners already had buyers. I personally did not have any vehicle in that container, I only assisted people to buy and sent down to Nigeria. I explained all these to Mr. Monsur that the owners will come for their vehicles after opening and inspection of the Container.
“I sent him another 1million Naira as he told me work was progressing and later I sent him balance of 500 thousand Naira (500,000) after he sent me a picture that he has opened the Container and I saw it myself that the cars I sent were there too, not knowing that he did not do any work.
I paid him the whole total of 2.5m he requested for the work early because I did not want my work to enter into demurrage.
“After collecting the complete payment he developed the attitude of avoiding my calls and whenever he picks he would be giving series of excuses. He finally opened up that the work not done yet.
“Between December 2019 and February 2020, the cars already entered Demurrage of over One million Naira.
Finally, we had to get another person to get the job done and he released all the documents with him to the person.
“The total cost spent on the clearing amounted to 4.555 Million Naira. He agreed to pay all my monies back after I involved a lawyer and the police. He was arrested and released after 2 days of arrest and he has since failed on his proposed payment plan, probably after sorting his ways out with the police.
“There were people my Shipper as well introduced to him who had same experience and regret.
“We were later told that that is his usual attitude with people and he does that with impunity because he believes strongly on spiritual wickedness on people. They told us that his second name in Apapa Port is Babalawo (Herbalist).
“We want you to please assist us in pursuit of justice with your good office.”
A member of the Union office who spoke on the condition of anonymity gave assurance that the Union leadership would take every permissible step to protect the name and integrity of the group.
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