By JONAH NWOKPOKU

A PAPER manufacturing firm based in Onitsha, Anambra State, Sambons Paper Mills Limited, has decried seizure of its paper consignments by National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA in Lagos.

Vanguard gathered that the containers were seized along with some members of staff of the company, since August 20, 2013

The company’s agent, Patrick Okafor, who spoke to Vanguard about the seizure at the NDLEA headquarters in Lagos, said the firm still remained in the dark as to why the consignments were confiscated by the NDLEA authorities after they had passed through the regular examination at the port.

“What happened was that the two containers were cleared and loaded onto the trucks that headed to Onitsha. We did not know that some operatives of the NDLEA were trailing the trucks. So they met the trailers just few kilometers after they left the port and said they wanted to search the containers, that they got intelligence report that the containers carried contraband.

“The drivers had to stop for them to conduct the search and when they finished, they declared that they had seen nothing but that the containers must get to their office for their boss to see them.

And that was how the containers ended at the NDLEA headquarters with three of our staff detained as well,” he explained.

“As I am talking to you now there is no one who can tell exactly why they have seized the containers. We followed all the due process in the port before the containers were brought out. All the regulatory authorities in the port including officials of NDLEA saw the containers during the clearing process which was the normal thing,” he said.

“I don’t understand why NDLEA followed up on the containers and arrested both the drivers and sized the containers. They said they suspected the containers for carrying contraband but they have searched the containers and seen nothing,” he added.

However when contacted, NDLEA principal officer, Media Relations, Mitchell Ofoyeju said the containers were seized due to private intelligence gathered that the containers carried contraband but that the containers would be released as soon as investigations are concluded.

“We arrested seized those containers based on intelligence reports we gathered that they carried contrabands. We have started investigations and we will release them as soon as we conclude investigations,” she said.

But Okafor said, there was no fear for contraband since the containers were only carrying the consignments which included paper reels used in making envelopes, adding that even the company, Norse paper, brazil which shipped the consignments are also here in Lagos and could be contacted by the NDLEA authorities if they doubt that the containers did not carry contrabands.

He therefore appealed to the NDLEA authorities to expedite actions on whatever investigations they are carrying out and facilitate the release of the containers.