IMAN DISSOCIATES ITSELF FROM FRAUDULENT IMPORTERS, SAYS ITS 100% COMPLIANCE TEAM IS VERY VIGILANT
…Disclaims Kingsley Chikezie as its National President
By Mcanthony Onuoha
Importers Association of Nigeria (IMAN) has dissociated itself from fraudulent importers following a recent allegation against the association by the leadership of Association of Maritime Truck Owners( AMATO) .
HIGH CHIEF DR. GEORGE NDUBISI, NATIONAL VICE PRESIDENT, IMAN
According to an online publication of 10th January, 2025, captioned “Importers Association of Nigeria Raises Alarm Over Members Harassment, Centralises Operations Through Special Taskforce”, one Mr. Kingsley Chikezie, who claimed to be the National President of IMAN, had raised alarm over what he termed as “unauthorized operation involving illegal arrests, harassment, extortion, and intimidation of importers across the country.”
In a statement by the purported National President, Kingsley Chikezie, he noted that it issued the ban to protect importers from “unscrupulous individuals in guise of operating with IMAN permission”.
According to Chikezie, ” All IMAN operations are now centralized and must be authorised in writing by one DIG Philemon Leha(Rtd.), whom he referred as Director- General of IMAN Special Taskforce.
In a swift reaction to the publication via a press release he personally signed and made available to the media, the National Vice President of Importers Association of Nigeria (IMAN), High Chief (Dr.) George Ndubisi, stated that the association had since embarked on massive sensitisation of their members by the association’s Compliance Team with appropriate punitive measures in place against defaulters .
High Chief (Dr.) Ndubisi disclosed that most of them caught had either been handed over to Nigeria Customs or the Police for prosecution as some had been deregistered from the association or stopped from further importation.
The disclosure is coming on the heals of AMATO’s indictment of IMAN. Berating importers, the President of AMATO, Chief Remi Ogugbemi, alleged that some members of the Importers body do not make honest declaration for Customs purposes, and that they are responsible for Customs impounding trucks belonging to AMATO members.
In his response, High Chief (Dr.) George Ndubisi debunked the allegation by AMATO, saying that most of the importers who circumvent trade rules are not registered members of IMAN, insisting that genuine members no longer take the route of circumvention as their activities are seriously in check by its 100% Compliance Team, and that any registered member of the association who makes wrong declaration and is caught must be sanctioned by the association.
In the statement, IMAN went ahead and disclaimed Mr. Kingsley Chikezie whom it said had been removed as the National President of the Association for corruption and fraudulent activities since two years ago, adding that it was during his (Chikezie) administration that the association had some Importers that were not 100% compliant. He called on stakeholders to disregard his views as he is not in the right standing to speak on behalf of Importers Association of Nigeria (IMAN).
Continuing, the National Vice President of IMAN said, “as far as Importers Association of Nigeria (IMAN) is concerned, Mr. Kingsley Chikezie has been dismissed from the association for corruption and fraudulent activities. He has even been declared a wanted man by ICPC for undisclosed offenses. And the substantive Acting National President and BoT Chairman of IMAN is High Chief Gilbert Obi (Onwa Ozubulu). ”
“The Compliance Team of IMAN led by a retired Comptroller of Nigeria Customs Service and his team are well equipped for the job and will take the battle to those dishonest importers that are not 100% complaint, and will go ahead to picket their offices and warehouses. Enough is enough. As members of Importers Association of Nigeria (IMAN), it is important that you remain vigilant and informed about the operations of our 100% Compliant Team against these dishonest importers and report same to the association.”
“We must focus on the truth and facts to move the association forward, and that necessary measures to ensure growth and progress are being carried out with utmost care and diligence”, the statement read.
