IGBOZURUOKE MEDIA

n recent months, the menace of pilfering by criminals commonly referred to as Wharf Rats seems to have returned to the ports following the discovery of removal of sensitive and very expensive vehicle parts from imported vehicles. In this interview by TOLA ADENUBI, the National President of the Association of Motor Dealers Of Nigeria (AMDON), Mr Ajibola Adedoyin, speaks on experiences of vehicle importers and possible line of action.

The Tin-Can Chapter Chairman of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Mr. Wale Cole, recently debunked claims made by your association that Wharf Rats have returned to the port. What’s your reaction to this, sir?

Maybe Mr. Wale Cole has not grasped the enormity of what we are saying, or maybe he is not yet aware that vehicle parts are being pilfered at Tin-Can Ports. What we are certain of is that some of our members have taken delivery of their cars from the port, only to discover that some important parts were missing. Why we are talking now is for the authorities to nip the menace in the bud before it gets to an alarming level.

The ANLCA Tin-Can Chapter Chairman might not have heard about the vehicle pilfering issues because those that were affected probably took it upon themselves to get those vehicles fixed without making any formal complaint at the nearest police station. Maybe if some had made formal complaints at the nearest police station, he would not be saying there is no vehicle pilfering at Tin-Can Ports.

If this vehicle pilfering thing persists, what options will motor dealers take?

If this trend remains unchecked, it will get to a point some of us might decide to seek legal redress. That will be after calling for a meeting with clearing agents’ groups like the Association of Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA). The authorities that took charge of the vehicles from vessel offloading up to the point where it was handed over to the importers might need to tell us what they know about how vehicle parts got missing while the vehicle was in their custody. If the importer has available proof that the vehicle was not pilfered from its port of origin, then how it got pilfered in-between shipping and terminal delivery here at Nigerian ports, somebody will have to explain. Somebody has to take responsibility for such actions.

You said armed robbers now come to car marts in Abuja with artisans to remove sensitive and very expensive vehicle parts of vehicles parked for sale. Can you mention a particular car mart that has been robbed in Abuja?

So many car marts have been robbed in Abuja by armed robbers. These armed robbers come with artisans who know how to remove sensitive vehicle parts like Brain Box, sensors from these vehicles. One of the popular car marts that was recently robbed is Soft-wheel Motors located along Kubwa expressway. As I speak with you, the case is still with the police and I think it has been taken to court. The security guards that were paid to watch over Soft-wheel Motors are with the police over this issue.

Why are the security personnel still with the police over the robbery incident? Were they indicted?

You see, the owner of Soft-Wheel Motors hired a private security company to help watch over his car mart. Almost every car mart in Abuja has their own security. For Sofe-Wheel Motors, the private security personnel paid to watch over the car mart claimed that three men approached them around 3 a.m. in the morning and requested to borrow cigarette lighter from them. They said while trying to borrow the three men’s cigarette lighter, one of the three men sprayed something into their eyes, and they (private security guards) slept off. By the time they woke up hours later, two 2025 Toyota Hilux jeeps had been vandalised. The robbers didn’t take away the vehicles. They only removed sensitive and very expensive parts from the Toyota Hilux jeeps.

To put one of the Toyota Hilux jeeps back in shape, the car mart owner will have to part with N3.5 million. Tell me, how do we expect the car mart owner to sell these Hilux jeeps and make profit?

The reason why the car mart owner handed over the private security guards over to the police is because they claimed to have slept off and allowed the robbers all the time they needed to remove valuable parts from the two 2025 Toyota Hilux jeeps.

If the robbers remove vehicle parts at a particular car mart, they will obviously want to sell those parts. Are you people not looking at apprehending these thieves through purchase of stolen vehicle parts?

There is a disturbing pattern that we have noticed. Vehicle parts that are stolen in Abuja are taken to Lagos for sale while those stolen in Lagos are taken to Abuja for sale. So, this is making apprehending the culprit very difficult. But the police is on top of the matter. We have told our members to raise alarm if anybody comes to them to sell vehicular parts

So the robbery pattern is to spray something on security guards at car marts to make them sleep off?

We have had instances where the armed robbers tie up private security guards before embarking on removing the vehicle parts. It’s not always a case of spraying something on private security guards all the time. but we are trying to work out something in collaboration with the Police to ensure this issue is checked. Its not what I can disclose on the pages of the newspaper for now. (Nigerian Tribune)