The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Offenses Commission has auctioned two containers of samples of items illegally collected from importers at Tin-can Port by officials of various government agencies involved in physical examinations at the port.

This was disclosed by the National Coordinator of the Port Standing Task Team, Moses Fadipe, at a meeting with stakeholders at Apapa Port over the effective usage of the scanner at the port.

Fadipe had warned the stakeholders of the consequences of collecting samples from consignments for physical examination without approval, noting that anyone caught with samples without the necessary approval would be penalized.

The PSTT is a team of operatives from various government agencies that work together to combat corruption and other illegal activities at the ports.

Fadipe said that the PSTT had caught officials of the Nigeria Customs Service, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, and the Police collecting samples during physical examination even when they do not have the authority to do so.

Speaking further, he noted that the seized sample items were taken and stored in the containers, waiting for the agents or the owners to come and collect them, but no one came forward. As a result, the containers were handed over to the ICPC for auction.

Fadipe also said that the PSTT had received reports of junior officials of these government agencies collecting sample items on behalf of senior officers.