Following the reported incidences of the resurgence of cargo pilfering at the port otherwise known as Wharf rats, the Commissioner of Police, Ports Authority Police command, Western Zone, CP Cyril Okoro has assured maritime stakeholders that the command will improve on the access control to the port.
Okoro who gave the assurance while on a familiarization visit to the headquarters of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) at Apapa, Lagos on Thursday said that by further improving on access control to the port, his command would have made sure that only people who had business in the port got access to the port.
“In that way, this issue of Wharf rat will be a thing of the past”, he said.
While noting that he was not aware of Police officers under his command allegedly arresting duly released containers on the highway, he however assured that he would investigate the allegation and tackle it if found to be true.
In his words, “I am just hearing that for the first time, I will get to know and if I get to know, everything will be done to make sure that all is well with the port and its environment.”
On the purpose of his visit to the NAGAFF headquarters, CP Okoro said, “My visit here this morning is in line with the policy of the Inspector General of Police on Community Policing. We come on a courtesy call to NAGAFF being one of the major stakeholders in the maritime industry. We will relate with them, synergize with them and make sure that if there are complains, they are addressed.
“We will go round and meet with the entire stakeholders in line with the IG’s agenda on community policing.”
On his part, the founder of NAGAFF, Dr. Boniface Aniebonam reiterated the Commissioner of Police’s position as he described the visit as a routine while adding that “every Commissioner of Police who has been in the port, they have always find time to visit NAGAFF Headquarters and pass the message of the Inspector General of Police and then information will trickle down to the practitioners.”
He observed that it was a normal occurrence adding that the CP himself had only came to reinforce the mandate of the Inspector General of Police on community policing.
“Of course, you know the port is quite strategic; it is a commercial centre but at the same time a security zone. So, the need for people to follow the rule of engagement is very critical,” he added.
On setting agenda for the new CP, Dr. Aniebonam said, “Well, there must be a handover note for him from the former CP of the port who incidentally now, is the AIG Maritime. So, I will not want to believe that he is going to have any problem other than to consolidate on the job done by his predecessor. But at the same time, the port issue is always evolving, as they come, you also resolve that.
“Somebody was just asking him now on the issue of police arresting containers on the road, I am not aware of that, I am sure we should look at port Police at this environment. I have not seen any Police from the port that arrest container, maybe you are talking of the State command or maybe from Zonal command and then most time, it is based on information which is nothing to the contrary.”
Photo: R-L: Founder of NAGAFF, Dr. Boniface Aniebonam and Commissioner of Police, Ports Authority Police Command. Western Zone, CP Cyril Okoro during his courtesy visit at NAGAFF Headquarters in Lagos on Thursday.
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