A42-year-old haulage contractor, Nduka Okoli, who specialised in diverting goods sent through his transport firm to customers in the South Eastern part of the country, has revealed that he made N78 million in two trips by bribing some custom officers.
Okoli, along with 10 members of the syndicate working with him, was arrested by the operatives attached to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba, Lagos.
Confessing to the crime in an exclusive chat with The Point in his detention cell, the suspect stated that he had been in the haulage business for five years with nine trucks, which he used in perpetrating the crime.
“I was not contented with what I was making from the transport business; that’s why I resorted to diverting the goods for my personal use,” he said.
Speaking on the incident that led to his arrest, he said, “ I was contracted to carry 700 bags of Ofada rice to Warri by a business woman, but my boys told me when they were loading the rice it was discovered to be smuggled rice and not Ofada, as stated.
“So after loading them, they took it to Ijebu-Ode where we re-bagged it and we proceed to Benin. The truck was intercepted at the Benin Bypass by men of the Nigeria Customs, who demanded the sum of N300,000 as usual, whenever they intercept any of the trucks.
“We agreed with the Customs officers to allow us to sell some of the rice to enable us to raise the amount, and they agreed. After that, the truck was released to my boys and I told them to sell the remaining bags of rice in Benin and return home.”
Continuing, the suspect said, “In another operation, we were sent to take trailer tyres to Imo by one Alhaji Lawal, but I instructed my boys to load and take the tyres to Ibadan, where a buyer arranged by me was already waiting.
“I never knew I would be arrested like this, because I always covered my tracks and settled security operatives whenever my boys called that any of the trucks had been intercepted.
“Since I started this business five years ago, I have been able to evade arrest countless times. It’s greed that pushed me into this business.”
The driver of one of the truck used to convey the rice, simply identified as Taofiq, denied membership of the gang or any wrong doing, saying that his job was to drive the truck and deliver the goods wherever Okoli directed him to. “I don’t know any customer.
Whenever oga Okoli called me to deliver goods, I only charged him my money and he would pay, before I delivered the goods to the destination. “When Customs arrested our motor in Benin, I called oga Okoli and he spoke with them on phone. The Customs gave us part of the rice and we went to the market to sell it.
After we came back, we gave them the money and they released the truck. I am not a criminal,” he stated. Meanwhile, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, pointed out that the gang had been in the business of diverting goods sent through them to customers to other locations.
