By Iroyin Yoruba Television
The Nigerian Ports Authority has called for stronger cooperation with the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigerian Navy to tackle continuing attacks on vessels, barge operators and port facilities around Nigeria’s waterfronts and navigational channels.
The appeal was made on Thursday, October 1, during a meeting in Lagos involving senior maritime security officials, the Lagos State Government and other agencies responsible for activities around the nation’s ports.
The Nigerian Ports Authority said the security situation around some waterfronts and port channels required urgent attention, particularly as attacks and other security-related incidents can disrupt maritime operations, threaten personnel and increase the cost of moving goods through Nigerian ports.
The authority also raised concerns about complaints of extortion and illegal roadblocks along major port corridors, saying stronger cooperation among security agencies would be necessary to address the problems.
NPA CALLS FOR URGENT SECURITY SUPPORT
Acting Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Mohammed Bello Koko, asked the newly appointed Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Maritime, AIG Amadi John Ogbonnaya, to strengthen cooperation between the police and the ports authority.
Bello Koko said the NPA needed additional assistance from maritime security agencies to deal with attacks involving vessels, barges and other port infrastructure.
The request was made during a meeting attended by representatives of the Nigerian Navy, the Nigeria Police Force, the Lagos State Government, the Federal Road Safety Corps and other stakeholders in the maritime sector.
The authority said improved security cooperation was particularly important around waterfronts and channel areas where vessels and barges operate.
These areas are essential to the movement of goods and petroleum products, meaning security problems can have consequences beyond the immediate victims of an attack.
When vessels are delayed, damaged or prevented from operating normally, the effects can spread through the logistics chain, potentially affecting cargo movement, transport operators and businesses that depend on efficient access to the ports.
ATTACKS ON VESSELS AND BARGES
The NPA said it was concerned about what it described as persistent attacks on vessels, barge operators and port facilities.
Barges play an important role in moving cargo and other materials through Nigeria’s waterways and between maritime facilities.
Because many port activities take place around waterways, channels, terminals and waterfront communities, maintaining security in these areas requires cooperation between maritime authorities and conventional security agencies.
The NPA therefore wants the police and Navy to strengthen their presence and response capabilities around vulnerable areas.
The authority's position is that security agencies need to work together rather than operate in isolation.
Information gathered by one agency can be useful to another, while joint patrols and coordinated responses can potentially reduce delays when an incident occurs.
The NPA also wants security agencies to provide additional maritime personnel that would support the authority's newly acquired patrol boats.
The request includes follow-up with police authorities in Abuja regarding additional maritime police personnel and the establishment of Marine Police units at the Calabar and Delta ports.
CONCERNS OVER ILLEGAL ROADBLOCKS
Security on the waterways was not the only concern raised during the meeting.
The NPA also highlighted complaints from stakeholders about extortion and illegal roadblocks along important port access routes.
The authority identified several corridors where truckers and other port users have complained about activities involving uniformed security personnel, unions and associations.
Among the areas mentioned were Tin Can-Coconut, Mile 2, Orile, the SIFAX Terminal area around Ijora-Olopa, Police Area B, Wharf Road and Creek Road.
The NPA said it was working with relevant authorities to address the complaints.
Illegal roadblocks and extortion can increase the time and cost required to move goods into and out of the ports.
For truck operators, repeated stops can result in delays, while businesses may face additional unofficial costs that eventually affect the overall cost of logistics.
The authority has therefore asked for stronger enforcement against illegal checkpoints and urged truck drivers not to submit to extortion.
ETO SYSTEM AND PORT TRAFFIC
The meeting also considered the electronic call-up system known as Eto, which is used to manage the movement of trucks into the Apapa port environment.
The system was introduced to improve traffic management and reduce the congestion that historically affected major port access roads.
The NPA said security agencies and other stakeholders needed to cooperate more closely to ensure that the system operates effectively.
The authority explained that traffic management around the ports is not solely a transportation issue. It also has a security dimension because congestion can create opportunities for extortion, disorder and other illegal activities.
When large numbers of trucks are concentrated around port corridors, effective coordination among the police, traffic authorities, security agencies and port operators becomes necessary.
The NPA therefore wants stakeholders to share information and streamline procedures around truck traffic management.
NEED FOR MORE MARITIME POLICE PERSONNEL
Another issue raised by the ports authority was the need for additional maritime police personnel.
The NPA said it was seeking assistance in following up with the Police Force Headquarters to secure additional personnel and other resources required to operate its patrol boats effectively.
The authority believes stronger maritime security capacity would help it respond more effectively to incidents around port waterways.
It also wants Marine Police units established at the Calabar and Delta ports.
The establishment of dedicated maritime policing capacity at additional ports could provide localised security coverage for vessels, facilities and personnel operating in those areas.
Such arrangements would also require coordination with the Nigerian Navy and other agencies whose responsibilities extend to Nigeria’s territorial waters and coastal environments.
WHY PORT SECURITY MATTERS
Nigeria's ports are central to the country's international trade.
Imported goods, industrial materials, machinery, agricultural products, petroleum-related commodities and other cargo pass through maritime facilities before being transported to different parts of the country.
Security disruptions can therefore affect businesses that have no direct connection with the original incident.
If a vessel is attacked or a port corridor becomes unsafe, operators may experience delays. Additional security measures may also increase operating expenses.
For consumers and businesses, increased logistics costs can eventually contribute to higher prices.
This makes maritime security an economic issue as well as a law-enforcement concern.
The NPA's request for greater cooperation is therefore linked to its wider responsibility to keep port operations functioning efficiently.
PROTECTING PORT WORKERS AND OPERATORS
Improved security is also important for the people who work within Nigeria's maritime sector.
Seafarers, barge operators, truck drivers, dockworkers, security personnel and other port workers routinely operate in environments where large quantities of cargo and valuable equipment are present.
Attacks or criminal activity can expose these workers to physical danger and disrupt their livelihoods.
For security measures to be effective, workers and operators also need channels through which they can report threats, suspicious activity and extortion.
The NPA's call for closer cooperation could therefore provide an opportunity to improve communication between maritime operators and security agencies.
Reliable reporting mechanisms can help authorities identify emerging threats before they develop into larger security incidents.
MULTI-AGENCY COOPERATION
The Lagos meeting brought together several institutions with different responsibilities.
Participants included representatives of the Nigerian Police Force, Nigerian Navy, Lagos State Government, Federal Road Safety Corps and other maritime stakeholders.
Such multi-agency cooperation is important because port security involves several overlapping responsibilities.
The Navy has responsibilities connected to maritime security, while the police handle law enforcement and public safety. The FRSC has responsibilities relating to road traffic, while the Lagos State Government plays an important role in managing activities around the state's port corridors.
The NPA, meanwhile, is responsible for managing Nigeria's port infrastructure and facilitating efficient maritime operations.
Effective coordination among these institutions can help prevent gaps in responsibility where criminals or other actors take advantage of jurisdictional boundaries.
PATROL BOATS AND RESPONSE CAPACITY
The NPA's request for additional maritime police personnel is also connected to the authority's plans to commission newly acquired patrol boats.
Patrol boats can provide a means of monitoring waterways and responding to incidents closer to the areas where vessels and barges operate.
However, patrol equipment is only effective when supported by trained personnel, reliable communication systems, intelligence and coordinated command structures.
The NPA therefore wants the relevant security authorities to provide the personnel and institutional support required to make the patrol capacity operational.
The effectiveness of such measures will ultimately depend on whether they reduce attacks and improve the sense of safety among maritime operators.
ADDRESSING EXTORTION
The complaints about extortion present another challenge for the port system.
The NPA said stakeholders have reported situations involving alleged illegal collections and roadblocks along port corridors.
Extortion can affect the movement of cargo by creating unofficial costs and delays.
It can also undermine confidence in the agencies responsible for regulating and protecting the transport network.
The authority's call for security agencies to address illegal checkpoints therefore has implications for both security and governance.
Removing unauthorised checkpoints could make it easier to distinguish legitimate enforcement activities from unlawful demands placed on port users.
The NPA also encouraged truck operators to resist extortion and use appropriate channels to report such incidents.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
The immediate next step will be increased coordination between the NPA, Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Navy, Lagos State Government, FRSC and other maritime stakeholders.
The NPA wants the police and Navy to strengthen their support for security around waterfronts and channels, while also assisting in efforts to improve the safety of port access routes.
Authorities will also need to examine complaints about attacks on vessels, extortion and illegal roadblocks and determine the appropriate response based on evidence.
The proposed strengthening of maritime police operations at Calabar and Delta ports will also require further administrative and operational arrangements.
For the ports authority, the objective is to create an environment where vessels, barges, cargo operators and port workers can operate safely and efficiently.
For security agencies, the challenge will be to translate the latest calls for cooperation into sustained patrols, intelligence sharing, rapid response and effective enforcement.
The development is significant because Nigeria's maritime security affects not only the people working directly in ports but also the wider movement of goods and economic activity.
The NPA's latest appeal makes clear that security around Nigeria's ports remains an area requiring continued attention, particularly where attacks, extortion and illegal roadblocks can interfere with the country's maritime logistics network.