Before now, attacking vessels at berth and terminals by sea robbers and in some other cases, residents of litoral communities have been a source of concern to the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA). Until now, solving the problem has been a herculean task for successive port administrations.
Stowaways in a bid to leave the country also explore the loopholes to access the port, hide in vessels discharging cargoes in other to leave the country
However, the attacks on vessels at berths have put Nigerian ports at the edge as shipowners were on the verge of paying additional money to secure their vessel at anchorage and also at various berths at the seaports. This, almost made Nigeria seaports unattractive to foreign vessels, as well as, incurring additional surcharge due to insecurity.
According to maritime stakeholders, rising insecurity on vessels at berth put Nigeria at risks of heavy sanctions from the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) if attacks on ships at berths at the nation’s seaports persist.
However, to ensure that this act of pilfering and attack on vessels at berth doesn’t lead to fresh surcharge and it doesn’t attract sanctions from IMO, the NPA put measures in place to end attacks on vessels and unauthorized access to the seaport especially at the Tin-Can Island port complex.
To this end, last week, the NPA management, led by the managing director, Mohammed Bello-Koko, announced the completion of concrete barricade around the Tin-Can Island port to end unauthorised access to the port.
He also disclosed that patrols were increased on the seaside by the Nigerian Navy to stop attacks on vessels at berths by littoral communities.
According to him, the authority is also engaging residents of the littoral communities in little island across the channel around Ogogoro, Tomato island and others on enhanced waterway security.
“We can see that Tincan has now been fenced using concrete walls from the outside. The essence is to secure the port, not just because of safety but also to restrict entrance. There are individuals that just wake up in the morning and want to come into the port with no business in the port but, by reducing the number of persons, by restricting entry into the port, you are ensuring that we reduce pilfering and theft, reduce thugs and miscreants into the port.”
“Then it will create an enabling business environment within the port location as referred by the International Ship and Port Facility (ISPS) Code,’’ he said.
He noted that fencing of Tincan would ensure individuals who had no business in the ports are kept out and in that way they would enforce the usage of automated access control gate.
According to him, he is impressed with what he is seeing, as one can see fewer people than we use to have and we will keep enforcing and restricting entry into the port to only those that have businesses in the port.
The NPA boss noted that as regards safeguarding the waterside, what they had done was to increase patrol, saying they had bought security patrol boat for the waterside and are working with the Nigerian Navy within the ports in Lagos to increase their own patrol.
“We are working with the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Beecroft and there are parts of the port along the waterway that we felt we should also fenced but are looking at the best option due to the soft nature of the ground.
“So, if we can’t fence the waterfront what we should do is patrol it, restrict access into the port from the waterside using the patrol boats and surveillance.
“Our security men are up to the task and we will keep giving them all the tool that they need to improve their communication. We will keep improving it and we will buy more patrol boats to ensure the waterfront is also secured,’’ he said.
As regards residence in little island across the channel around Ogogoro, Tomato island and others on security, Bello-Koko said that the authority was engaging the communities.
“We are engaging them through community and stakeholders interactions. We also working with Lagos State government, we ones had the 360 degree operation which first is all, went round to remove all shanties along the port corridor.
“We went to those island to ensure the residents there that do not need to be there, were removed,’’ he said.
He added that they are waiting for the elections to be over and at the right time working with Lagos State government and the communities would ensure that the operations takes place again.
Speaking, a former President, National Association of Master Mariners (NAMM), Capt. Adewale Ishola, applauded the NPA, saying fencing the Tin-Can Island port is in line with the ISPS, code.
He, however, advised that the NPA should do same in every other ports across the country because miscreants shouldn’t be allowed to have access to the seaports, being a restricted area.
“The fencing is to enforce the ISPS code and the NPA as a landlord to work with the concessioneers to guard the waterways against probabilities. You don’t create loopholes for people who are not port users to come through the waterfront to access the port. So, for them to maintain patrol on that front, It’s a welcome development and must be applauded. It’s a preventive method and that’s inline with ISPS code.
“This is what NPA should have done a long time ago and the current management doing that now is a welcome development and must be applauded. However, they should replicate that in all other ports across the country, they should find a way to ensure that they are not giving room for miscreants to access our seaports,” he said.
Also speaking, the National President, NAMM, Capt. Tajudeen Alao, said it was a welcome development as it will enhance port security.
“The initiative of NPA is in line with ISPS code that every facility must be complaint and secured effectively and certificate of inspection issued. If NPA is coming to complement and make double security provisions it is welcome. The ISPS code is about CCTV, patrol of the waterfronts. There are many villages across the water, so enhancing patrol is a welcome idea.”
However, a port operator, said attacks on vessels at Nigerian ports and jetties have reduced, saying NPA action has reduced attacks on Vessels.
The operator who craved anonymity, said “attacks on vessels at berth has reduced tremendously, saying Nigeria will not be listed as dangerous and high risk area to do business particularly for ships call. So all these things that tend to make Nigeria a hostile and unfriendly business environment has been removed by the NPA through the initiative of the Managing director and his management team.”
