The Nigeria Postal Service (NIPOST) has raised the alarm over the illegal activities of some courier operators in the country.
According to the agency, the unlicensed operators, allegedly ferried weapons and illicit drugs across major cities in the country.
The General Manager of NIPOST Courier and Logistics Regulatory Department in Ondo State, Oludotun Sounde, disclosed this at a meeting in Akure, the state capital, on Friday.
Sounde, who described the agency as a critical national infrastructure linking communities and facilitating secure communication, said the unchecked proliferation of unauthorised logistics companies posed a threat to national security and the economy.
He said, ‘These unlicensed players not only lack the structure for safe delivery, but also operate without any form of accountability, putting customers at risk of loss, theft or abuse of their parcels.
Using an illegal courier service is like going to a quack doctor, it could cost you dearly.
‘One of the unlicensed operators was recently arrested for conveying firearms and hard drugs’, a development he described as a ‘national red flag’ that should not be ignored.
To address the challenges, Sounde advised that every courier operator in the country must obtain operational licences from the Postmaster-General to guide and streamline the operation of the logistics companies.
The DG also warned the public to be wary of cheap, untraceable courier services, stressing that a properly regulated delivery system was key to safeguarding the nation’s security and fostering economic progress.
