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By Steve Agbota
The National President, Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Iju Tony Nwabunike, has condemned the recent attack on the Kaduna-Abuja train, which poses dangers on the logistics Industry.
Nwabunike, in his Easter message to Licensed Customs Brokers, freight forwarders and colleagues in the total logistics chain in Nigeria, said continued destruction of developing transport infrastructure by terrorists is dwindling the growing hope of moving cargoes from seaports to the hinterland.
He said the occurrence also sets back the anticipated seamlessness that cargoes should have moved from Lagos and Portharcourt to Kano and Kaduna states respectively.
According to him, the situation has driven the cost of doing business higher and reduced returns on investments, adding that it could have been anyone else because “we are not more safety or security conscious than the victims who boarded a Federal Government train with assurances of security.”
“Insecurity in Nigeria touches everyone in adverse ways, we can’t pretend about it. It has driven the cost of doing business higher, increased time spent, reduced returns on investments and affected the joy of many.
“Our ports are not properly utilised if import and export cargoes suffer clogs in the logistics chain. From the farmer of export produce, whose field is occupied by terrorists to the dockworkers waiting to assist in the loading and unloading of cargoes, we are all involved.
“Our collective interest is in the cargo because, from it, government revenue is gotten, remuneration for employees made, service charges collected and profit from warehousing and sales are obtained,” he added.
However, he called on the government and politicians at the helm of affairs, not to be subsumed by the hysteria of present campaigns and forget citizens who are in kidnappers’ dens, while also seeking for prayers on behalf of the Nigerian military.
“Let’s supplicate for victory from God in favour of our armed forces who stay awake and alert at all times to keep us safe. Their victory is our safety.
“We are entitled to being happy because we are part of a blessed country, whose true potential is yet to be fully harnessed for collective benefits. While we (Christians) are rounding off our fasting, our Muslim brethren are continuing with the prayer chain.
