The Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) has said courier operators have become increasingly bold in transporting illicit drugs and deadly weapons in recent years, coinciding with President Bola Tinubu’s assumption of office in 2023.

The general manager of NIPOST’s Courier and Logistics Regulations Department in Ondo State, Oludotun Sounde, who stated this at a stakeholders’ meeting in Akure, expressed concerns over the infiltration of illegal courier operators and logistics companies across major cities.

According to Mr Sounde, the activities of the illegal courier companies now pose a threat to national security and the economy, as they work out of car parks and private offices before luring unsuspecting Nigerians with ridiculously low prices.

Mr Sounde said unlicensed courier services lack structure for safe delivery and operate without accountability. He described their activities as a “national red flag” that should not be ignored.

“These unlicensed courier companies lack the infrastructure for safe and secure delivery. Worse still, they operate without any regulatory oversight or accountability, creating a major security loophole.

“They are putting customers at risk of loss, theft, or abuse of their parcels. Using an illegal courier service is like going to a quack doctor. It could also cost you dearly,” he said on Friday.

He revealed that the agency recently began a crackdown on the activities of the operators, locking up two illegal courier companies and confiscating three motorcycles used for their operations.

“One of the unlicenced operators was recently arrested for conveying firearms and hard drugs,” he hinted at the stakeholders meeting.

To stem the tide, Mr Sounde posited that every courier operator in the country must obtain an operational licence from the postmaster general to guide and streamline the operation of the logistics companies.

Mr Sounde, however, appealed to the public to be wary of cheap, untraceable services, stressing that a properly regulated delivery system is key to safeguarding the nation’s security and fostering economic progress.

Editor’s Note: The headline of this article has been corrected to indicate that NIPOST made no reference to President Tinubu in its remarks.