(Quick News Africa)- A team of armed men of the Nigerian police have been accused of stealing N85 million worth of maize grain stock from a warehouse in Zaria, Kaduna State, belonging to AFEX Commodities Exchange Limited (AFEX Nigeria).
During the alleged gun point incident on July 8, which AFEX described as “theft,” the company said one of its warehouses in Kaduna was besieged by members of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF), who carted away with grains valued in excess of N85 million in an operation that lasted till midnight.
By the time the operation was over, the company further noted that 5,571 bags of maize had been confiscated through what was authorized by the Katsina State commissioner of police and executed by his mobile police officers from the special anti-robbery squad unit, also known as SARS.
“Despite current efforts by the present administration to ease doing business, it is unfortunate that we had a complete opposite experience in the last week. The police invaded the warehouse and at gun point handcuffed our staff there, broke into the building and without explanation or prior call for complaints and loaded out 17 trailers, 600 metric tonnes, 5571 bags and in value over N85 million,” lamented Ayodeji Balogun, who is the country manager of AFEX Nigeria.
In an official statement, AFEX said officers of the Nigerian police force broke into the warehouse, handcuffed its staff at the warehouse, and damaged the locks of the warehouse.
The grain storage facility originally belongs to the federal ministry of agriculture, but has been leased to AFEX Commodities Exchange for its operations through a public private partnership (PPP) arrangement.
The company regretted that the police officers claimed they had a search warrant against their products but refused to tender it on demand by its staff on duty at the warehouse.
On the contrary, upon conclusion of their operation, the police officers in question presented a search warrant against “Diversified Consulting Company,” a company AFEX insists it does not know or bear any relationship with in any way.
“With no concern for the laws of the land, the NPF displayed a complete disregard to the constitutional provisions protecting AFEX’s fundamental human right to own movable assets, misused the courts document, and illegally carted away property belonging to AFEX.
“Yet, a search warrant does not mean an order to confiscate products, and prior to this incident, AFEX had no known correspondence, complaint or petition filed against it,” said the AFEX boss, while responding to questions from journalists in Abuja.
Further investigations showed that Diversified Consulting Company allegedly purchased maize from traders in Funtua, Katsina State about four months ago, but has not paid for the grains sold to them till date.
However, Diversified Consulting Company, whose two officials are currently in police custody, is said to have no relationship with AFEX, its principals, or its representatives.
AFEX said it has since filed a petition restraining the inspector general of police, the Katsina State police commissioner, and officers of the Nigerian police from further actions against AFEX, since after the burglary of its warehousing facility in Zaria.
Despite the courts’ petitions, an anonymous source has confirmed that the confiscated products from AFEX warehouse are currently being sold at Dandume Market in Katsina State.
“In a country where the law serves as protection for both citizens and law enforcers, it is shocking that the NPF, who are the enforcers of the law are the ones perpetrating such an unlawful action. We are calling on the appropriate authorities to please intervene and stop this violation of fundamental rights and gross abuse of power,” AFEX demanded in a statement.
