Idowu Akinwunmi, a Lagos State resident, has narrated how EMS Nigeria, the courier and business arm of the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST), failed to help her deliver a package to two US-based recipients on time.

Akinwunmi told FIJ she visited EMS Nigeria’s Agege station on December 22, 2023, to ensure the timely delivery of the package.

“In December 2023, I needed to get a package delivered to two US-based Nigerians. The package had two items inside it. One was for a very good friend; the other was for my friend’s colleague at work,” Akinwunmi told FIJ.

“Apart from the contents of the package being very expensive, I also needed to get it delivered to the recipients on time.

“When I got to EMS Nigeria’s Agege office, the officials I spoke with told me to go for the express delivery option.

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“They said it was safer and that the package would be delivered to its US destination within two weeks. On hearing this, I promptly paid N125,345 to EMS Nigeria so that the item could get to my friend and her colleague on time.”

After the two-week delivery timeframe the courier service outfit promised elapsed, Akinwunmi discovered the package had not been received by its recipients.

“Using the tracking number I was given by EMS Nigeria, I tracked the movement of the package countless times, but the exercise did not bear any positive fruit,” said Akinwunmi.

“Since then, I have been going to the courier service’s office, but they have not been able to come up with an explanation for the movement of the package.

“They said it had left their care but couldn’t tell me where it was. The package has disappeared into thin air. A package that was supposed to be delivered within two weeks has continued to hang in the air for more than two months.

“The most annoying part is that the EMS officials who received the package from me and processed its delivery also do not have any idea where it may be at the moment.

“As we speak, my friend’s colleague, who happens to be the second recipient, is already accusing me of fraud.”

WHEN FIJ SPOKE WITH AN EMS PROCESSING OFFICER

On Monday evening, FIJ called Abiodun Femi Alexander, the EMS Nigeria officer who packaged the items in Akinwunmi’s presence at the Agege office, but he said his duty was just to receive and package items.

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“My duty is just to accept items from customers and package them. Any further inquiry should be made to the station manager,” said Alexander.

“It is the manager that will get in touch with the airport to get an update on the status of the package.”

Alexander then advised this reporter to call him on Tuesday morning so he could give his phone to the station manager of the EMS Nigeria office in Agege for comments on the issue.

When this reporter called him on Tuesday morning, as agreed, he failed to respond. He also did not call this reporter back.

FROM EMS NIGERIA’S AGEGE STATION MANAGER

When Alexander failed to respond to the several phone calls made to him, this reporter eventually got the Agege office station manager’s phone number.

“Any time we send out items for delivery, we usually give our customers receipts to hold on to. Since the item was sent through our Agege office, we can’t deny that she did not,” said the station manager, who chose not to state her name.

“Once the receipt issued to the person is authentic and he or she has duly paid delivery fees into the government’s account, there is no way we’ll ever deny that the person is a customer.

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“Presently, NIPOST has a great challenge. It is, in fact, a general challenge. This is being experienced at all EMS offices nationwide.

“The items that are supposed to have been delivered to recipients all across the world are experiencing serious delays. This never used to be the case. If the customer decides to sue us on this matter, there is no problem.

“But I don’t think things should degenerate to that level.”

When the station manager was asked to speak on the logic behind EMS employees talking customers into paying for express delivery despite knowing that the courier outfit had a service delivery challenge, she said, “As we speak, I still have a lot of such cases to deal with. They are more than 20.

“Most of them (the packages) are supposed to have been delivered to their recipients, who mostly reside in the US and the UK. We have always received promises that they will be delivered on time, but that is yet to happen.

“We are then always left with no choice but to continue to appeal to customers to be patient with us while we get deliveries sorted out. The fault is with us and we will surely deliver the items soon. The item is surely still intact and safe wherever it is.”

When the manager was asked if she knew where Akinwunmi’s package was, she said, “The item is not where I can reach. It is also not where the management can reach.

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“The customer has exercised enough patience between December and now, and I appreciate her for that. We just need her to exercise a little more patience while we get the issue we are having with delivery sorted out.”