Customs not involved in ₦200m container deal dispute, Freight Forwarder insists

Maureen Aguta

A Lagos-based freight forwarder, Fawole Abiola Aremu, has denied involving any serving or retired officer of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in a disputed business transaction with his associate, Dr Israel Agimor Eshanekpe, insisting that the disagreement is a contractual matter that should be resolved through civil means.

Aremu spoke against the backdrop of allegations by human rights activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as Verydarkman, that he fraudulently obtained money from his business associate for the clearance of shipping containers.

Addressing journalists, the freight forwarder disputed aspects of the allegations, maintaining that the transaction involved genuine containers and that no Customs officer was named in the agreement between the parties.

He said the controversy surrounding the transaction had damaged his reputation and strained his longstanding relationship with the Customs Service, an institution he had worked with for more than two decades.

Aremu, who said he had honoured an invitation from the Customs authorities and was informed that investigations were ongoing, maintained that the dispute should not be misconstrued as evidence of wrongdoing by the service or its personnel.

“In my 23 years of working with Customs, I have never lost a dime to the service. Rather, I have assisted people who had legitimate dealings with Customs and encountered difficulties,” he said.

On the existence of the containers at the centre of the dispute, Aremu dismissed suggestions that they were fictitious, insisting that they remained at the terminal.

According to him, the transaction initially involved 24 containers, but he agreed with Eshanekpe to process 10 of them.

“The containers are genuine and they are still at the terminal. Their existence has been confirmed,” he said, challenging those disputing their existence to produce evidence to support their claims.

He added that he was willing to provide the relevant bills of lading and container numbers to substantiate his position.

Aremu explained that the business relationship began in July after a close friend introduced him to an individual identified as Mr Osifo, who subsequently introduced him to Eshanekpe.

He said the parties met and signed their agreement within one or two weeks of the introduction, describing their business relationship as relatively new.

“Our relationship was relatively new. Unfortunately, what was supposed to be a lasting business relationship has taken another direction. I maintain that what exists between Israel and I is purely a contractual agreement and, therefore, a civil matter,” he said.

Providing details of the financial arrangement, Aremu said the agreement was valued at ₦200 million for the clearance of 10 containers, rather than eight as previously reported.

He claimed that Eshanekpe paid ₦96 million towards the transaction but did not fulfil the full financial commitment.

According to him, the parties did not agree on a specific completion date, although they discussed a possible timeline of two to three months for the process.

Aremu said he was surprised when Eshanekpe contacted him three days after their agreement to indicate that he was no longer interested in proceeding with the transaction.

He also disclosed that he had refunded ₦30 million out of the money received, arguing that the repayment was omitted from the publications surrounding the controversy.

The freight forwarder stressed that the written agreement, which he said was signed and witnessed, did not identify any serving or retired Customs officer as a party to the transaction.

He said his association with the Customs Service, which he described as spanning nearly 30 years, had been affected by the allegations.

“Whatever the outcome, Customs is an institution that has contributed to people like us, and I still believe in the integrity of the institution and its personnel,” he said.

Aremu also dismissed questions surrounding allegations involving tramadol, challenging those making the claims to provide evidence.

“Where is the tramadol? When the time comes, the facts will speak for themselves,” he said.

He attributed the delays surrounding the container transaction to the controversy, alleging that the publicity had harmed both his personal reputation and the image of the Customs Service.

Despite the dispute, Aremu said he remained willing to resolve any legitimate outstanding financial obligations through appropriate civil channels.

He, however, maintained that he would pursue measures to defend his reputation against what he considers defamatory allegations.

The freight forwarder disclosed that he had contacted his lawyers over the publications, insisting that he would not allow his name to be damaged by allegations he disputes.

“I did not organise this press conference because anybody compelled me to. I did it to clear my name, protect my family and reassure my clients, friends and associates that the allegations published against me do not represent the true picture of what happened,” he said.

The allegations and financial claims remain contested. Aremu’s account represents his position on the dispute; the outcome of the reported investigation and any independent verification of the parties’ claims were not established in the information provided.