Stating that two of its trucks that were wrongly intercepted in Adamawa State had been released, the company explained that the two trucks loaded with 900 bags of cement each from the Obajana Cement Plant were on their way to Jamtari, Maiha Local Government Area of the state, based on a customer’s request.
The management of the Dangote Cement Plc has debunked the allegation of attempting to export cement to Cameroon, describing it as "false and malicious".
Stating that two of its trucks that were wrongly intercepted in Adamawa State had been released, the company explained that the two trucks loaded with 900 bags of cement each from the Obajana Cement Plant were on their way to Jamtari, Maiha Local Government Area of the state, based on a customer’s request.
SaharaReporters reported on February 16, that troops of the Nigerian Army have intercepted two Dangote trucks and three others allegedly transporting banned goods to the Republic of Cameroon.
The trucks, loaded with 600 of 50kg bags of cement each, were on Friday paraded to journalists at the headquarters of the Nigerian police in Yola, the Adamawa state capital.
The interception followed an executive order banning the transportation of building materials across the country's border through Adamawa routes by the Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri.
But the Company denied the allegation, in a statement signed by the group’s Chief Branding and Communication Officer, Mr Anthony Chiejina.
Refuting the allegation, Chiejina said that there was no reason to divert cement to Cameroon when the company has a functional cement plant in the same country.
He regretted that the officers who made the arrest refused to listen to their drivers' explanations but insisted the trucks were on diversion without even paying attention to details of what was written on the waybill.
“Our officials were thereafter invited by the DSS Adamawa State, and we explained to them the true position of things," Chiejina revealed.
"We had to show them the tracking movement of the trucks from the DCP Obajana to the last point where they were arrested by the soldiers, to convince them that the trucks were not crossing to the Republic of Cameroon as was being wrongfully insinuated by some media.
“In the same vein, the government of Adamawa State, in a press briefing with the Adamawa State Police Headquarters, also on Friday, 16th Feb., confirmed that both trucks were intended to deliver within the state and were escorted by police to deliver the products to the customer.”