Previous Next

Dangote Cement: 'Our trucks wrongly intercepted'

The management of Dangote Cement PLC has said the two of its trucks loaded with 900 bags of cement each based on a customer's request, were wrongly intercepted in Adamawa State on Friday by security agents who accused them of trying to export banned products to Cameroon.

The interception came after an executive order banning the transportation of food and building materials across the country's border through Adamawa routes by the state government.

 A statement by the Group's Chief Branding and Communication Officer, Mr. Anthony Chiejina, described the accusation as 'false and malicious', adding that the company has a functional cement plant in Cameroun.

He said the officers insisted the trucks were on diversion since they did not pay attention to details of what was written on the waybill, despite attempts by the two drivers to explain.

Though the trucks were later released, Chiejina wondered why the security agents would intercept and accuse them of attempting to divert their products to Cameroun.

“It was surprising that on their way to deliver the products to the stated address, the security agents on that particular route intercepted them at a village called Wurolabi.

"Our officials were thereafter invited by the DSS Adamawa State, and we explained to them the true position of things.  We had to show them the tracking movement of the trucks from the DCP Obajana to the last point where they were arrested by the soldiers, to convince them that the trucks were not crossing to the republic of Cameroon as was being wrongly insinuated by some media," he said.

The state government in a press briefing with the Adamawa State Police Headquarters on Friday, confirmed that both trucks were intended to deliver within the state and were escorted by police to deliver the products to the customer.