AS NDLEA recovers $17.7million travelers’ cheques in children books the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) says it is not involved in any form of drug transportation.
NIPOST was reacting to an online publication which alleged that it has been used to peddle drugs since Bola Tinubu became president of the country.
The Service in a statement, yesterday, in Abuja by Franklin Alao, NIPOST Director, Corporate Communications, said there was no iota of truth in the allegation.
NIPOST said rather it works with security agencies and logistics stakeholders including National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Nigeria Police Force and Nigerian Customs Service to deter illicit use of logistics channels.
“Any operator found to be involved in criminal activity will face immediate regulatory sanctions. “This includes license suspension or revocation, and reporting the operator to appropriate authorities for prosecution.,” he said Alao said NIPOST’s robust digital infrastructure, the Digital Postcode and Parcel Identification System ensured full traceability of parcels from sender to recipient.
According to him, the codes also enhance screening capabilities, and deter ‘anonymous’ usually exploited in illicit parcel transport. He urged the public to ignore the publication and use only licensed courier service providers as well as report suspicious activities to NIPOST or law enforcement agencies.
In another development, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA) said yesterday that it has intercepted a total of 52 pieces of travelers cheques concealed in children books worth $17.7million.
The cheques, according to a statement issued by the NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi in Abuja, were enroute to Malaysia through Istanbul on a Turkish Airlines flight.
Babafemi, however, said that the cheques were intercepted by NDLEA operatives at the export shed of the airport on July 4. He said that the interdiction operation which occurred at Lagos airport had a freight agent arrested in connection to the intercepted travelers cheques.
“The travelers cheques suspected to be counterfeit and the suspect will soon be handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further investigation,” he said.
He said NDLEA officers at Seme border onJuly 5 recovered 718 big balls of skunk weighing 359 kg from a store in Baba – Pupa area of the border community.
