A businessman, Ibrahim Egugungbohun Dende, popularly known by the moniker, IBD Dende has debunked reports making the round on a news blog that he is a smuggler.
This, he said, is aside some other disparaging and character assassination reports about him.
The businessman, who is also into hospitality business as well as clearing and forwarding, made the denial when he spoke with newsmen on Tuesday in Ikeja, Lagos.
Setting the records straight, Dende accused the author of the disparaging report of deliberately casting aspersions on his person in a bid to soil the good name he has built over the years as a philanthropist, businessman, clearing and forwarding agent.
Dende further accused the author of not following the basic rules guiding the practice of journalism globally by his failure to seek his side of the story so as to give him a fair hearing and to defend himself.
Describing the report as an act of quackery, Dende insisted that the report was just a figment of the author’s imagination.
Speaking further, the businessman wondered why his detractors are not relenting in their determination to bring him down. This, he said, was because they are scared of his astronomic rise in business.
He said: “Initially when I saw the story I just laughed and ignored it because I knew it was a sponsored hatchet job targeted at pulling me down. Over the years, I have developed a thick skin and reports like that don’t move me. But for posterity’s sake, so as to ensure I clear my name from the unfounded allegations levelled against me by the author who is notorious for character assassination, it’s best I use this opportunity to tell the world that I have never been involved in any smuggling activities as reported by the author.
“I have a functional clearing and forwarding agency with office domiciled in Apapa, Lagos where I help my numerous customers clear bulk cargoes, containers and a host of others.”
Dende added: “As a licensed clearing and forwarding agent, I remit huge sums of funds into the coffers of the government which is part of the generated revenues used for capital projects in the country.
“The author who wrote that I smuggle is probably not in tune with the reality. I run a legitimate chain of businesses and I have hands in many pies of investment. I enjoy patronage from my customers who believe in my swift ability to deliver services to their satisfaction. So misinforming the public that I am involved in smuggling activities without proper research which is evidence based is just pure witch-hunt.”
The founder of IBD Dende Foundation also disclosed that he is concerned about the growth and development of humanity, as he constantly engage in philanthropy.
