PROHIBITIONS IN COURER AND LOGISTICS ENTERPRISE

The carriage of any prohibited item by any organization in Nigeria, particularly in the Nigerian postal sector is considered unethical and illegal in postal or courier and logistics enterprise. Examples of such prohibited items are in the regulations of the Nigerian Postal Service (Courier) Operations Regulations,’ IATA Dangerious Goods Regulations 45”h Edition, 2004,2 Section 79 of Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) Cap 84 of 1990.3 The lists of the various prohibited items change from time to time in accordance with government enactments.

By definition, a prohibited article is “Any substance which as presented for transport is liable to explode, dangerously react, produce flame or dangerous evolution of heat or dangerous emission of toxic corrosive or flammable gases or vapours under conditions normally encountered in transport must not be carried on aircraft under any circumstance.” Prohibited articles are also “Any items the carriage of which is prohibited by any law, regulation or statute of any Federal, State or Local Government to or through which the shipment may be carried.”

Under section the Nigerian stipulates as Postal follows:6 Service Act of 2004, the prohibition section stipulates as follows:

a. No company licensed under the Act shall accept and convey documents, merchandise and parcel or other article whatsoever whose weight is below 1/2 ?Kg or above 50kg.

b. Accept and convey any article whose transmission, exportation, importation or distribution is prohibited by any of the enactments, regulations, order or rules specified in the Sixth Schedule to these Regulations or as may be made from time to time.

Other prohibited items include:

C . Currency Notes, Bank Notes, Coins.

d. Traveller’s cheques, International Passports and other negotiable Securities (Bonds and Stocks inclusive).

e. Gold, Silver, Precious Stones, Jewellery.

f. Narcotics and Psychotropic substance

Live Animals

h Explosives, flammable or other dangerous substances

i Obscene and Immoral Articles.

j. Radioactive materials

k Items that may expose officials to danger, soil or

other items.

In respect of customs prohibited list, see Section 79 of Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) Cap 84 of 1990 which enumerates Customs Regulations guiding importation and exportation of parcel/courier shipments. Also note the Importation and Exportation of parcel regulation in Customs and Excise Notices No. 20 of 1959.

In connection with IATA, its Resolution 618 Attachment "A" on Dangerous Goods Regulations, 2004 classifies Dangerous Goods as "Explosives, Gases, Flammable Liquids, Flammable Solid, substances liable to spontaneous combustion, substance which in contact with water emits fammable gases, oxidizing substances and organic paroxides, Toxic and Infectious substance, Radioactive material, Corrosives, Miscellaneous Dangerous Goods.”