FedEx, an international courier service, and its business partner in Nigeria, Red Star Express, have been alleged to be lacking in terms of service delivery and honouring of contractual agreements.
The publisher of The General News (Tgnews), a renowned media organisation with corporate headquarters in Yola, the Adamawa state capital, Mr Tom Garba, in statement said the services of the courier companies are below local and international standards.
Tgnews it would be recalled engaged the company on delivery services in respect of its 6th January 2024 public lecture and Award Ceremony in honour of eminent Nigerians.
However, the company according to Tgnews failed to deliver and has therefore breache their contractual agreement.
Decrying the situation, counsel to Tgnews, P.M. Shagnah Esq demanded immediate payment of damages, compensation and apology for breach of contract and undue delay in delivery by the aforementioned courier companies.
He was quoted as saying: “In a clear breach of the terms of contract entered into with FedEx and our client, which your company (RedStar Express Plc) by extension is found to be vicariously liable to our client, having contributed to a great extent in delaying the delivery of the consignment to Yola within the agreed stipulated date and time.
“It’s no longer in doubt neither can it be contested that the late delivery of the award trophies on 09/01/2024 at 10:50am, three days after the holding of the first edition of the TGnews Award ceremony, has caused our client a huge setback, frustration, embarrassment and has seriously painted their image in bad light before the teeming members of the public in Adamawa state and Nigeria as a whole.
“Flowing from the foregoing, our client has further instructed us to demand for an urgent written apology to be published in the national newspapers (Daily Trust and Punch), to immediately pay the sum of twenty million Naira (N20,000,000,00) only as special damages and the sum of ten million Naira (N10,000,000,00) only as general damages and the sum of two million Naira (N2,000,000,00) only as compensation.
“In the event your company and its international partner FedEx neglected, declined or refused to comply with our demands aforesaid, our client has further instructed us to institute a legal action against your company before a competent court to enforce their claims within fourteen days after the service of this letter on your company.
“Further take note that the service of this demand letter on your company shall be deemed to be proper service on FedEx, your international business partner. “A stitch in time, saves nine”, the letter read
Tgnews counsel attached relevant documents including some of the pictures of late presentation of trophies to individuals in their offices and residence and marked as annextures A1 and A2.
The statement reads further: “Unfortunately, in spite of these revered personalities, the courier service company allegedly refused to honour the contractual agreement to deliver the trophies in Yola at 5.30pm on 5th January 2024,”
Consequently, Tgnews, which has offices in Abuja, Jos, Kaduna and the North-east zone, said had through its legal counsel, P.M. Shagnah & Co., that it is set to institute a suit in court against FedEx and Red Star Express for alleged breach of contract.
“The awardees at the ceremony were: Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa state; the immediate-past Governor of Adamawa State, Senator Muhammadu Umaru Jibrilla Bindow; former SGF, Barrister Dr Boss Mustapha; and Rear Admiral Barrister Jamila Sadiq Malafa, mni (retired).
” Others were: Hama Bachama, HRH Ismaila Shagaya OON; Kpawo Nomwe-Gilongo Diya, Kwandi Nunguriya HRH Sir Dishon Dansanda II, the Emir of Mubi HRH Isa Ahmadu, Gangwari Ganye Adamu Sanda and Dan Lawan Mubi Emirate and the District Head of Belel Alhaji Abubakar Murtala,” the statement added.
“The Vice Chancellor of Federal University Kashere was the guest speaker. Professor Umar Pate, Dr Abdullahi Dauda Belel, the Archbishop of Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria (LCCN), Dr Filibus Panti, Sheikh Khalid Nurudeen (Digital Imam), our unsung heroes, Ardo Usman and Celina Peter with hundreds of invited guests filled to the brim the Lelewal Hotel Hall in Yola.
“FedEx and Red Star Express were to honour an agreement reached on 20/12/2023 whereby a consignment containing award trophies were lodged, registered and paid for delivery from China to Yola in Nigeria by YIWU, ZJCN. The same consignment was acknowledged on 21/12/2023 by FedEx Express, Red Star Express’ international business partner with TRK 788373192244 as the tracking number.
“The courier companies failed to act appropriately after 100 percent assurance of definite delivery in clear terms on 05/01/2024 before 6:00pm at Yola to enable Tgnews to present trophies to its first edition awardees on 06/01/2024 by 10:00am,”
When Blueprint contacted the companies managers on phone, the respondent from FedEx in Abuja who refused to give his name feigned ignorance of any contractual agreement, urging the aggrieved media company to contact its headquarters.
“I don’t know how the issue started but they should write the company in order to get appropriate response,” he said.
On its part, the Redstar manager who did not pick his phone sent a message to our correspondent, promising to call back but has not done so as at the time of going to press.
