Grimaldi shipping line, a RoRo terminal operator, Port and Terminal Multiservice Limited (PTML) and other stakeholders have expressed concerns over attacks on vessels by hoodlums who reside in waterfront communities.
The shipping line accused the community of unleashing mayhem on vessels at berth and forcefully gaining entrance into terminals to cart away valuables.
The multinational companies said the trend is sending negative signals to the maritime c community.
At a meeting in Lagos with the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), Maritime, Ibrahim Kaoje, last week, the Group Security Manager of PTML Terminal, Oscar Alu, said there is an impending implosion at the port due to absence of security agencies, especially at the landside and port side of the jetties.
He said most of the youths from the communities, especially Ogogoro village, loiter around the facilities to forcefully break into them to cart away items in the terminal and attack the vessels.
Alu said the recalcitrant youths always have their way because of the porous external security arrangements.
Alu said the terminal and shipping lines in the port axis are sitting on a keg of gunpowder owing to the challenge.
While commending the Police Command for the efforts so far, Alu called on the police hierarchy to reactivate its collaboration with other security operatives and stakeholders to nip the crime in the bud.
He, however, warned that if the security arrangement for the area continued to remain complacent, the outcome might be worse than the #END-SARS protests, which engulfed the nation in 2020.
“The issue of stowaways started from this community and most times, we get attacks on vessels, thieves robbing vessels, it all started from this community, yet the waterways are not properly monitored.
“I think we still need the presence of marine police to monitor the waterways and the berths because we don’t have their presence right now,” he said.
Responding, the AIG assured the terminal operators and other stakeholders that the marine unit will step up patrol along the waterways, saying some new boats are due for commissioning.
He said the marine unit will boost its operations along the waterfront, adding that the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) had donated some equipment to the police.
