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John Shiklam in Kaduna

The Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) has clampdown on unlicensed courier operators in Kaduna.

Many offices of the unlicensed courier, express services delivery, dispatch services, and logistics services, were sealed on Thursday by NIPOST during an enforcement exercise

headed by the General Manager of the Courier and Logistics Regulatory Department (CLRD), Mr. Shonde Dotun.

Speaking in an interview, Dotun said the activities of the illegal operators are compounding the current security challenges facing the country.

He said some of them are used by criminal elements to deliver guns and drugs thereby undermining the security and safety of citizens.

Dotun said: “We are here in Kaduna to sanitised the postal market which includes private postal operators- those engaged in express services delivery, dispatch services, and logistics services.

“Research has revealed that we have quite a number of people operating in that space without obtaining license from the Post Master General of the Federation as stipulated by the NIPOST Act.

“There are regulatory guidelines in place, but there are a lot of private operators without operating license.

“So we are here to sanitised the market to check the activities of criminals and create a conducive environment for those who are licensed to thrive.”

Speaking further Dotun said it has been discovered that most of the unlicensed operators are the ones who engage in illicit activities.

“Some of them engaged in obtaining money under false pretences. Some don’t have offices, some of them dupe people.

“Some of them are used for carrying small arms and drugs. We have seen some of them carrying dollars. They use them to transmit illicit drugs.

“We caught some of them with cocaine inside bread. We also caught others carrying heroine in the statue of Mary …”

He said the NIPOST enforcement team would extend its tentacles to motor parks and garages that engage in this illegality.

“It will be extended to capital market operators, stock houses and airports

“We work hand in hand with the police to ensure that those arrested are prosecuted,” he said.

Dotun disclosed that last year, 500 illegal operators were arrested and prosecuted, adding that so, far over 100 people have been arrested in the ongoing clampdown which started in Kano.

He called on members of the public to stop patronising unlicensed couriers, express delivery, dispatch, and logistics operators.