Vincent Toritseju
19 May 2018, Sweetcrude, Lagos — WORRIED by the increased attacked on vessels berthed at the Lagos Ports Complex, LPC, the management of the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, has commenced strategies counter such attacks.
Speaking at stakeholders its quarterly stakeholders in Lagos, Managing Director of the agency, Ms. Hadeeza Bala Usman said that there challenges in the operations of the ports adding that they are being looked into.
Usman who was represented by the Executive Director, Marine and Operations, Mr. Sekonte Davis said that by the time some of the strategies are put in place, then the agency can point fingers to stakeholders perceived to be responsible for such attacks.
Davis disclosed that more patrol boats will be purchased to enhance port waterfront patrols.
It was also gathered that one of the most attacked berths in the ENL terminal the handle bulk cargoes and fish.
The NPA boss however advised the management of ENL terminal to look into their internal system adding that there could be sabotage from within.
“ENL should look within its system and see if there is sabotage because the mode of these attacks suggests that there is an insider that gives out information to these criminals.
“ENL should also increase its operational vehicle patrols as this could help to detect and forestall attacks at the berths”.
“NPA has said that there are challenges and when these challenges are addressed, we will now have a better platform to point finger at people that we find culpable.
Presently we are not pointing fingers, we are discussing together, we are looking at the operations, and we are suspecting that there could be sabotage inside some of these terminals
Usman explained that NPA has also commenced discussions with the port Police Command with a view to strengthening waterfront security at the ports.
efforts to obtain a response from the office of the Police Command proved abortive as calls to the office of the Port Police Commissioner were not answered.