The Nigeria Postal Service (NIPOST) sealed the operational premises of five illegal and unlicensed courier and logistic operators in Edo State yesterday to eliminate quacks, illegal, unethical, and unlicensed courier and logistic operators in the state.

During the exercise, the agency also seized seven delivery motorcycles belonging to the operators.

Addressing journalists after the clampdown in Benin, NIPOST General Manager in charge of the Courier and Logistics Department, Gideon Oludotun Shonde, said the clampdown followed approval by the Postmaster-General of the Federation/CEO, Tola Odeyemi, against unlicensed/unregistered/illegal courier, express, delivery, dispatch and logistics operators nationwide as stipulated in the statutory provisions of Section 43 (1,2 and 3) NIPOST Act, CAP 127, LFN 2004 and Regulatory Operational Guidelines 2024.

Shonde said that the postal, express, courier, and logistics industries had been infiltrated by many unlicensed, illegal courier and logistics operators who cared little for ethical standards and professional conduct.

He disclosed that the illegal operators violate the NIPOST Act, which states that a license from the Postmaster-General of the Federation is required before operating a courier service.

“There exist unethical sharp practices, such as price undercutting, pilfering, broaching, damages, loss and dumping of customers’ items, poaching and subletting of operating licenses with a mountain of public complaints about customers being duped.

“So, the enforcement is necessary to sanitise the sectors of bad eggs, as some of the couriers and logistics operators are into illegal activities such as drugs and arms delivery. Anyone violating this provision should be arrested and prosecuted for operating illegally. It is a crime against the state,” Shonde said.