Nigeria raids PLS on bribery charges

NIGERIAN officials raided and arrested 11 members of Premier Logistics Solution (PLS) on Friday on charges of bribery.

Officers of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) raided the office of PLS on Friday 26 November on allegations of distributing US$240 million of bribes to Nigerian officials between 2001 and 2006.

Those arrested were general manager, Trevor Burrell; head of finance, Buehler Alphonso; head of airfreight, Mark Daoud and head of heavylift, Willem Heck, as well as Victor Adenedimoh, Udoh Emmanuel, Joseph Ikpong, Augustine Ilevbaodion, Edward Iweanya, Uche Ojogho and Moses Oyekunle.

Nigerian media reported the company as being part of Panalpina, but a Panalpina spokesman, Marten Spohn, denied this, confirming the companies had nothing to do with each other.

Burrell spoke to Air Cargo News immediately on his release. He was highly critical of the episode, and with Nigeria under the incorrect assumption that PLS was linked to Panalpina, he is convinced it was little more than a misguided attempt to strong arm Panalpina into offering a plea bargain.

For the full story and interview read the next issue of Air Cargo News.