… Tasks NPA, Customs, Nigeria Police on tackling the menace
The 100% Compliance Team of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders, NAGAFF has raised fresh alarm over the rising insecurity at the nation’s premier port in Apapa, Lagos lately.
The National Chairman of the team, Alhaji Ibrahim Tanko who raised the alarm at the monthly roundtable of the Maritime Reporters’ Association of Nigeria, MARAN held in Lagos on Thursday, frowned at the influx of people who have no business being at the port.
He alleged that people now sleep at the port and smoke Indian Hemp while carrying out their nefarious activities therein.
He went further to disclose that beggars now have unfettered access to the port to carry on their business of begging for alms unhindered even as he posited that while nobody is against beggars begging for alms but they should do so outside the port premises.
According to Tanko, “The port is supposed to be a security zone. Can you try it at the airport? APM terminal is becoming another issue.
“There’s an agent who was traced from the APM terminal to his area where he was robbed and killed thereafter. In the process of investigations, ID card belonging to one of the assailants was recovered on the scene by the Police and the owner of the ID card was traced and arrested. During questioning, the suspect confessed that they traced the victim from the APM terminal to his area, meaning that all of us are not safe.
“So, there is need for the Nigerian Ports Authority, the Nigeria Customs Service and the Nigeria Police Force to tighten up security in the port because whether we like it or not, we can’t continue like that. Every freight forwarder has authorization from the Nigerian Ports Authority, if you don’t have any business to do at the port, why are you there? Then, what is the need of the authorization that they (NPA) are asking us to run? It’s for them to screen those that will gain access to the port.”
While pointing out that he had written to the Customs Area Controllers in Apapa and Tincan respectively over the matter, he said, “At the APM terminal here in Apapa, I have complained, officials of the Nigeria Customs Service are going there and they are seeing these people that I am telling you that are sleeping there and smoking Indian Hemp. After I had written, I followed it up and they confirmed to me that they saw them and that they had given them warning. But there’s need for these three agencies to join hands together to sanitize that place. If they can trace somebody from APMT, rob and kill him, it can happen to anyone tomorrow.”
Tanko was accompanied to the event by members of the 100% Compliance Team including Dr. Fred Ajuzie, Western Zone Coordinator of the team.
Photo: Mr. Adegboyega Oni, acting President of MARAN; Alhaji Ibrahim Tanko, National Chairman of NAGAFF 100% Compliance Team and Dr. Fred Ajuzie, Western Zone Coordinator, NAGAFF 100% Compliance Team during the roundtable in Lagos on Thursday.
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