The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has seized a truck owned by Dangote Cement with about 3,000 cartons of smuggled frozen poultry valued at over N47 million.
NCS Comptroller in Ogun State, Sani Magudu, explained that the driver of the truck with registration number ICT-13E-047 escape, adding that investigation revealed that the frozen poultry products were transported into Nigeria from Benin Republic.
He said: “A trailer belonging to Dangote Group loaded with 3,000 cartons of frozen turkey was intercepted on Saturday 16th September,2017 at about 3.45 a.m. along Sagamu-Abeokuta interchange..”
According to him, the smugglers were not aware that they were being monitored from the point of packaging of the products until the vehicle was impounded at about 3.45 a.m. on Saturday at Sagamu interchange, which links the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
But in a swift reaction, the management of Dangote Industries Limited (Dangote Group), appealed to members of the public to assist in monitoring and reporting both recklessness and illegal haulage of contrabands goods by some of its truck drivers. The company has also set up hotlines for the public to report such truck drivers, with a promise to appropriately compensate calls that lead to arrest of errant drivers.
The statement noted that trucks belonging to Dangote Cement are only allowed to carry Cement, High Grade Gypsum and Coal; those belonging to Dangote Sugar (NASCON) are authorised to carry only Salt and Dan Q seasoning and trucks belonging to Agrosacks, the bags producing arm of Dangote group, can only carry bags, belonging to Dangote flour Mills, Wheat, Flour and Danvita.
The company urged the public to report any suspected Dangote Truck driver involved in illegal haulage provided hotlines to make such reports
“Please call Dangote Industries Limited Management hotline on all information regarding illegal haulage activities on 01- 2123567, 08070188000, 08170023
Dangote Group Management also issued a stern warning to those illegally transporting unauthorized goods through its trucks. “Dangote Industries Limited also wishes to warn those that illegally transport materials on Dangote truck that such unauthorized goods, when found, shall be confiscated and such owners prosecuted to the full extent of the law”
It would be recalled that the company recently intercepted one of the company’s truck loaded with contrabands in Ibadan, arrested the drivers and handed them over to the Nigerian customs for further investigations and prosecutions. The arrest was effected by a crack team of the company’s security personnel led by its Chief Security Officer who acted on intelligence, bordering on misconduct by some of its drivers.
While handing over the drivers and his motor boy to the Customs Authority, Assistant General Manager, in charge of Security Services, CSP Ali Garba, explained that the company has a surveillance section that monitors all trucks and drivers’ activities.