Blocking Arms Proliferation at Seaports: Customs, Police, Others Should Be Held Responsible for Cleared Illicit Items – Lekki Port Manager
By Raheem Ibrahim
The Lekki Port Manager, Mr. Anda Emmanuel, has stated that officers of the Nigeria Customs Service, the Police, and other security agencies who clear trucks carrying contraband, illegal arms, and ammunition should be held responsible and prosecuted for their involvement.
Reacting to a statement by the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG), Maritime, during a question-and-answer session at the just-concluded midyear conference organized by the Association of Maritime Journalists of Nigeria (AMJON) in Lagos, Mr. Emmanuel insisted that not only the truck drivers should be prosecuted.
Earlier, a representative of the AIG, Maritime Police Command, DCP Udu Moses Ogechi, had elaborated on the efforts of security operatives in detecting suspicious trucks cleared from seaports along highways.
He made this statement to highlight the Police’s intensive efforts at curbing the inflow of contraband and illegal arms into the country, noting that the intelligence of security personnel, coupled with public support, has enhanced their operations.
The AIG, who reiterated the slogan, “See something, say something,” urged members of the public to continue providing useful information to assist the Police in monitoring and verifying cleared goods from seaports.
In response, the Lekki Port Manager argued that such efforts would not be effective if security agencies fail to identify, arrest, and prosecute all Customs, Police, and other agency officials involved in clearing such trucks and goods from the ports.
According to him, “If security agents can apprehend trucks and drivers on the highways, their investigations should go further to identify all port officials involved in the clearance process, arrest them, and prosecute them as a deterrent to others.”
“This will go a long way in reducing or completely stopping such malpractice among corrupt officers and discourage importers who attempt to use financial inducements to bypass port regulations,” he added.
Mr. Emmanuel further stressed, “The arrest and prosecution of involved officers, including the loss of their entitlements and possible jail terms, will send a strong signal to others in service to desist from such unlawful acts.”
