In a bid to curb extortion and other forms of illegalities on the roads leadig to Apapa and TinCan Island Port Complex in Lagos, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has secured the support and cooperation of the Police Command in this direction.
Worrisome to the NPA management is the multiple illegal checkpoints along the ports corridor.
With this partnership between the NPA and the two Police Commands whose jurisdiction covers the Lagos maritime logistics ring, it is expected that those conducting business in the ports will heave a sigh of relief.
The Managing Director of NPA, Mr Mohammed Bello Koko, said this while receiving the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 2 Command, Mr Bode Adeyinka Adeleke and his counterpart in the Maritime Police Command, Mr Ibrahim Kaoje at the NPA headquarters, Lagos.
He said the solicitation became imperative towards the implementation of action points in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Nigerian Ports Authority and the Lagos State Government (LASG) on truck traffic control and enforcement in Apapa and environs signed on 8th March, 2022.
Koko expressed the delight that he got the consent of the two AIGs to join the NPA management on a spot check of the port access road to ascertain the reality on the ground.
The spot check which was conducted on Sunday 24th April 2022 and had in attendance the NPA management and the two AIGs, Lagos State Commissioner of Police and representative of the Lagos State Government indeed confirmed the reality of several illegal checkpoints which the AIGs promptly issued directive to be dismantled.
They gave a marching order to the Area Commanders and Divisional Police Officers (DPO) to ensure sustainability of orderliness as they will be held accountable for breaches henceforth.
A special mobile court has been inaugurated by the Lagos State Government to assure speedy dispensation of justice and fast track the prosecution of persons arrested perpetrating acts of extortion, unauthorized collections, illegal checkpoints or any other unwholesome practice inhibiting the ease of doing business around the ports.
It will be recalled that previous efforts at curbing the acts of extortion being aided and abetted by uniformed men and other officials of government had been hampered by issues of jurisdictional overlaps between the Ports Authority Police Command (PAPC) and the Lagos State Police Command.
Persecondnews recalls that the intractable Apapa gridlock dates back to 2018 with petrol tankers and container-laden articulated vehicles forming long queues to and from the ports.
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