The Nigeria Postal Service (NIPOST) at the weekend sealed off no fewer than five courier and logistic firms for allegedly operating without registration and licence in Edo State.

It was reportedthat the agency also seized not fewer than eight courier and logistic delivery motorcycles during the clamp-down exercise.

Speaking to journalists during the exercise, NIPOST General Manager, Courier, Logistic and Regulatory Department, Mr. Shonde Gideon, said the exercise was to sanitize the postal market space by getting rid of those operating unprofessionally and engaging in unethical practices.

“There are lots of unlicensed and illegal courier, express, delivery, dispatch, and logistic operators operating in the country. The industry has been proliferated and infiltrated with many unlicensed and illegal operators who engaged in all kinds of nefarious and unethical activities,” he said.

These, the NIPOST boss, said include price undercutting, pilfering, broaching, loss and dumping of customers’ items, poaching and subletting of operating licence, no traceable address or registered brand name, among others.

“It is also a crime against the state to operate in a space that is regulated without registration and licence. This clampdown is in line with the statutory provision of Section 43(1, 2and 3), NIPOST ACT, Cap127, LFN 2004, and Regulatory Operational Guid 2023.

“The exercise is to sanitize the postal market and ensurethat any private investors into postal, courier and logistic business obtain a grant of licence from the federal government.

“So, if you must operate in line with the provision of the NIPOST Act, you must obtain a grant of licence from the POSTMASTER General/CEO of the federation,” he said.

He noted that the overall objective of the exercise was to bring out the ethical value in the postal business, as some operators were carrying overweighed items, prohibited items such as cocaine, small arms and ammunition among others.

According to him, the exercise also aimed at blocking economic leakage because an operator without a licence is not paying tax and is unknown to the government.

“This operation will create a conducive environment for all players in the sector to have a level-play field and ensure that people comply with the law of the land. it is not about revenue but sanity,” he added.

The NPOST manager, however, appealed to courier operators in the state to comply with the law and obtain a grant of operating licence from NIPOST as stipulated by the extant laws or face the full wrath of the law.

The exercise was carried out by Courier and Logistics Regulatory Department Enforcement team in collaboration with Force Criminal Investigation Department (Alagbon)Lagos and Edo State Police Command.(Daily Trust)