ANLCA Crisis: Oforbike Cautions CRFFN Chairman; Tsanni Abubakar Over Delay in Resolution Report

…Says ANLCA Secretariat Cannot be Locked down Perpetually

By DAPO OLAWUNI

About three months after the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) inaugurated a Conflict Resolution Committee tasked with a duty of resolving the crisis in the fold of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) Chief John Oforbike, leader of the association in the West has queried the continuous delay in releasing report of the CRFFN committee.

Chief Oforbike in an exclusive chat with DAILY TREND in Lagos on Monday, cautioned the Chairman of CRFFN, Alhaji Tsanni Abubakar, saying that if care is not taken, the ANLCA Crisis resolution woulf consume him and his political carrier.

The ANLCA Crisis Resolution Committee is headed by Alhaji Abba Yusuf, a retired banker appointed into the CRFFN Board.
Other members of the committee are; Hon Donatus Odomena as Vice Chairman, Otunba Moshood Tijani, Mrs Patricia Omoh, and Mr Asuquo Efik. Some legal representatives from the Nigerian Shippers’ Council are also members of the committee.

Chief Oforbike have cautioned the committee that the ANLCA National Secretariat and other chapter Secretariats cannot continue to be looked down perpetually while her members continue to suffer ill treatment in the hands of all government agencies and regulators.

Oforbike cautioned the CRFFN Chairman, Alhaji Tsanni Abubakar to be wary of the former Board of Trustees Chairman in the ANLCA, Chief Henry Njoku, describing him as the mastermind behind the crisis who have vowed that the CRFFN committee report would not be released unless it suites him.

“When the CRFFN set up the ANLCA Crisis reconciliation committee sometimes in August 2022, our people objected that they would not appear before that committee because Farinto’s group dominate the council and they have been bragging that they are going to nail us

“Our people at the initial stage said they won’t appear. But as a leader in the West, I appealed to them to hear the CRFFN out. Eventually we went there.

“Most members of the CRFFN committee from ANLCA side are from Emperor Henry Njoku, the man who determines who stays and who leaves. They are working with NAGAFF to ensure that ANLCA is not restored back, you know that the death of a man is beneficial to turn coffin seller.

“We saw the people in that committee, the Chairman is a retired banker from a royal home in Katsina, an astute Moslem, we were able get convinced when he addressed us, two other appointees from the government were there, we believe that these people are not going to be partial

“We gave them documents to speak for themselves and we left.

“They told us that their committee would concluded work in one week, but I told them that two weeks is not even enough because there are so many lies walking as truth. We gave the numbers of our past leaders that they can contact and verify.

“We came openly and granted an interview two times that we are ready to abide by any resolution the committee comes out with.

“However I gave a warning that the Chairman of CRFFN should be wary of Henry Njoku, that he doesn’t stay on the passenger seat, he always wants to be on the driver seat to control what happens.

“The government appointed Tsanni Abubakar as Chairman of CRFFN, we warned that Henry Njoku would do everything possible to make sure he removes him as Chairman of CRFFN

“Exactly what I said is what is happening now, Henry Njoku has connived with some people in that CRFFN to put pressure and cause crisis in the CRFFN so that Tsanni Abubakar would be consumed, either he throws in the trowel, or they would remove him, and Henry Njoku would now become the Chairman

“He has been going around telling people that that he was supposed to be the chairman of CRFFN and that government has no right to appoint anybody that is not a practitioner.

“We want to appeal to CRFFN as a government agency and the people that are appointed there, their conscience should tell them that it is not about today, but about tomorrow, most especially the Chairman of the Council, Tsanni Abubakar, I know he has a political ambition, but the way he handles this CRFFN and ANLCA crisis might mar his ambition, he might look at it as something small.

“I urge him to be fair and allow the committee to work. And to Alhaji Abba who is the sub-chairman of our committee, he should stand firm and know that they are in the eye of the public.

“I warned them about Henry Njoku, he is the instigator of all the crisis, they should do painstaking investigation to find out who that man is, he might look unharmful but more dangerous than a black snake

“We want this committee report to come out, our ANLCA Secretariat cannot be locked, it is a gain to the opposition to make sure that ANLCA is dead forever.

“And to Farinto and co, Farinto is my friend, he should go and look at the bible, all power belongs to God, he chooses to give it to people, Farinto should not force himself on people, if he would be the president, God would have written it, he cannot become president from the corners. He should wait for his time.

“The committee should have verified by now, all the court judgements and documents submitted to the committee.

“I have three people that I have planted in the CRFFN group, every information on that report is being threatened by Henry Njoku, saying that certain must be included in the report, and that if his wish is not done, the report would not see the light of the day.

“They should release the report, we have expressed faith in them that whatever they say, we shall abide by, based on the calibre of committee members we saw and believing they can get is reconciled.

“It was Farinto and Mukaila group that urged police to lock up the Secretariat to avoid breakdown of law and order, which law and order? We have been falling prey to Police right and left, but when the CRFFN stepped in, we said okay, sir the right people have come because we are under CRFFN which has told the Police to keep the Secretariat locked until their report is out

“Now the CRFFN should do the needful, our Secretariat cannot be locked perpetually for the sake of somebody who is seeking to share the living child into two, according to what happens in the bible

“On whose mandate is Farinto going around calling himself Acting President? Look at what happened at Tin Can Port, we called for a meeting, we wrote to the police and they granted us protection, but these people came and overpowered the Police, their commander on thug, the man that they butchered his head, Wale, I want to advice that young man, he should thank God that he survived because if he had died, it would have just become one of these things, people are using him, but God just saved his life. Ojo Akintoye who wants to become chairman by all means, they should all have a rethink, they cannot destroy ANLCA , they should have a rethink, come down from their high horse and beg for forgiveness. Taiwo Mustapha is a good person, we don’t want anyone to scatter.

“For the past four years, what has been out benefit? Out members are suffering because their is no leadership, the customs is having a field day” Oforbike said

(Watch out for full interview in next edition)