Nigeria Postal Services (NIPOST) in Edo State has closed no fewer than five functioning offices for courier services and logistics.
According to BrandSpur telecom and IT news, the offices were closed due to suspected illegal operations and license violations; the operators’ seven delivery motorcycles were also seized.
The NIPOST General Manager overseeing the courier and logistics division, Gideon Oludotun Shonde, told reporters this as soon as the Benin City companies were clamped down on.
The goal of the effort, according to Shonde, was to rid the state of quacks as well as unlicensed, unethical, and illegal courier and logistic operators.
He clarified that the shutdown was authorised by Tola Odeyemi, the CEO and Postmaster-General of the Federation.
According to the statutory provisions of section 43 (1,2 and 3) NIPOST ACT, CAP 127, LFN 2004, and Regulatory Operational Guidelines 2024, he added, the approval was against unlicensed, unregistered, unlawful Courier, Express, Delivery, Dispatch, and Logistics Operators countrywide.
He stated that enforcement was necessary to guarantee fair competition and a favourable atmosphere for legitimate enterprises. Seven delivery motorcycles were seized during the enforcement, and five illicit courier offices were sealed.
He said: “The postal, express, courier, and logistics industry has been proliferated and infiltrated with so many unlicensed/illegal courier and logistics operators with reckless abandonment for ethical standard and professional conduct.
“There abound the issue of public safety and security threats due to the carriage of illicit drugs and prohibited items like small arms and ammunition, guns, gold, monies, obscene items among others.
Continuing: “There exist unethical sharp practices, such as price undercutting, pilfering, broaching, damages, loss and dumping of customers items, poaching and subletting of operating licences with a mountain of public complaints about Customers being duped or obtaining money from them under false pretences, no traceable office address nor registered brand name.
“So, the enforcement is necessary to sanitize the sectors of bad eggs, as some of the couriers and logistic operators are into illegal activities such as drugs and arms delivery among other infractions.
“Anyone who violates this provision should be arrested and prosecuted for operating illegally. It is a crime against the state,” he added.
Furthering, the NIPOST Act, he said, states that a licence from the Postmaster-General of the Federation is required before operating a courier service. The unlawful operators, he said, are breaking this law.
However, Shonde recommends those considering a career in courier service to respect the law and obtain an operating license from NIPOST.
