Courier Operators Flee North Over Boko Haram Attacks

Courier operators in northern parts of the country are fleeing the region in droves as insecurity occasioned by the activities of Boko Haram, the Islamic militants take its toll on their operations.

A senior official of Nigerian Postal Services (Nipost) who pleaded anonymity spoke of rising cases of unwarranted attacks on courier dispatch riders that have resulted to a number of .deaths

The official told Nigeria CommunicationsWeek that “actually, it is just like other sectors in the country. Particularly in the North, the operators are also cautious. We have had issues where courier workers lost their lives, and that made number of operators to become very cautious as to sending their staff to the North”

Nigeria communicationsWeek recalled that on Sunday, September 16, arsonists set fire on Nipost territorial headquarters in Yobe leaving in their wake burnt property and loss of equipment worth millions of naira.

The affected building was sand-witched between Airtel and MTN base stations.

During the attack, three Nipost securities on duty were dispossessed of their handsets, gagged and tied with ropes.

In view of the attack, Mr. Talle Abdullahi, area postal manager, Yobe territory, appealed to members of staff of the territory to maintain calmness while efforts were being made to relocate them.