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Torkwase Nyiekaa
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Nigeria Police Force have denied authorising the establishment of roadblocks and checkpoints along the Apapa and Tin Can Island port corridors, even as stakeholders agreed to set up a joint task force to address extortion, congestion and operational bottlenecks affecting cargo movement in the area.
The resolution was reached at a high-level stakeholders’ meeting in Lagos involving security agencies, freight forwarders, transport unions and government officials, aimed at improving efficiency and restoring order along the country’s busiest port access routes.
Managing Director of the NPA, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, said investigations had uncovered a range of challenges along the corridors, including illegal checkpoints, extortion, jurisdictional conflicts among security agencies and disruptions to the movement of goods.
According to him, some of the challenges extend beyond the immediate port environment and affect key logistics routes linking Apapa and Tin Can Island ports.
“We have problems along the port corridor in Apapa and Tin Can Island. Now, we have established that there are issues around extortion along the corridor. That is outside the port,” Dantsoho said.
He noted that activities around Berger and Mile 2 also form part of the affected corridor network and contribute to delays experienced by port users.
The NPA boss further identified overlapping responsibilities among security agencies as one of the factors complicating operations along the corridor.
“The second issue is the issue of overlap, jurisdictional overlap. In our system, what is established is that there is a police command for the port system, Maritime Police, and then there is also the Lagos State Police Command. So, in some instances, there are clashes, overlaps,” he said.
Dantsoho disclosed that both the Maritime Police Command and the Lagos State Police Command categorically denied deploying personnel to establish checkpoints or roadblocks along the port access routes.
“We have achieved a great lot of success in our discussions. The AIG Maritime Police has clearly stated that they do not send anybody to go and form roadblocks or checkpoints on the corridor. Equally, the Lagos Police Command has said the same thing,” he stated.
He described the outcome of the meeting as a significant step towards eliminating delays and inefficiencies that have long frustrated importers, exporters and transport operators.
According to him, all stakeholders have committed to strengthening collaboration to improve operational efficiency and enhance the competitiveness of Nigeria’s ports.
“Our emphasis will be that we are going to function, and then function better in our practices, so we can do better than our neighboring countries,” he added.
Dantsoho also highlighted recent improvements recorded in the country’s port operations, noting that ongoing reforms were beginning to yield positive results.
“Our port system inside the ports have recently been confirmed as one of the most improved in the world by the World Bank,” he said.
Speaking earlier, the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Maritime, AIG Okunade Ronke, also dismissed claims that police personnel had been officially deployed to man checkpoints along the port corridors.
She maintained that any officer involved in extortion or operating unauthorised checkpoints was acting outside the law and should be reported for appropriate disciplinary action.
“We have never posted officers to any checkpoint around the port environment,” she said.
Okunade disclosed that stakeholders agreed to establish a joint task force comprising representatives of the Lagos State Government, the NPA, the police and other relevant agencies to ensure better coordination along the Apapa and Tin Can Island corridors.
According to her, the task force will focus on eliminating extortion, reducing traffic congestion and improving overall security and operational efficiency within the port environment.
She added that complaints involving officers falsely claiming deployment from the Maritime Police or Zone 2 Command would be investigated and sanctioned accordingly.
Stakeholders, including representatives of the Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO), welcomed the initiative, describing it as a major step toward addressing longstanding concerns over harassment, extortion and disruptions to cargo movement.
They also agreed on the need for a broader committee involving government agencies, freight forwarders and transport operators to develop clear terms of reference for sustained monitoring and enforcement.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, who also participated in the meeting, stressed the importance of inter-agency cooperation, noting that the challenges along the port corridors require coordinated action from security, transportation and regulatory authorities.
He observed that while illegal operators are occasionally arrested and prosecuted, sustained collaboration among stakeholders remains essential to achieving lasting solutions.
Participants at the meeting expressed optimism that the establishment of the task force and the renewed commitment to cooperation would significantly improve traffic management, strengthen security and enhance the efficiency of operations along the Apapa and Tin Can Island port corridors.
