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Court resumes trial of Akpobolokemi, Ex-NIMASA DG,  Others over alleged N8.5bn fraud

 Owolola Adebola

As the trial of Patrick Akpobolokemi and three others who were arraigned for alleged N8.5billion fraud, continued Tuesday before Justice Ayokunle Faaji of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) has called its seventh witness.

Akpobolokemi, a former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, (NIMASA) is standing trial alongside Major-General Emmanuel Atewe (rtd.), a former Commander of the Joint Military Task Force, Operation Pulo Shield, and two other staff of the agency, Kime Engozu and Josphine Otuaga.
They are standing trial on an amended 22-count charge bordering on money laundering.
One of the counts reads: “That you, Patrick Ziadeke Akpobolokemi, Major General Emmanuel Atewe, Kime Engozu, and Josphine Otuaga sometimes in 2014, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Court, with intent to defraud, conspired amongst yourselves to commit an offence to wit: conversion of the sum of N8,537,586,798.58 property of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2012 and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act.”They had pleaded “not guilty” to the charges, thereby prompting the commencement of their trial.

At the resumed sitting Tuesday, November 16, 2021, the prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo , presented the seventh prosecution witness, (PW7), Moses Ngbekan, a compliance officer with Zenith Bank, Plc.

While being led in evidence by Oyedepo, the witness confirmed that the EFCC and Zenith Bank Plc had shared correspondences with respect to the case.

Ngbekan further identified some exhibits before the Court, including the account opening package, statements of account and the instruments of transaction used to perpetrate the alleged crime, stating that the documents emanated from Zenith Bank Plc.

The case has been adjourned till November 17, 2021, for the continuation of trial.

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Headlines

Beyond Lagos: The untold realities of Nigeria’s Eastern corridor seaports

Monday Discourse with  Ibrahim Nasiru
When the World Bank and S&P Global recently released the 2025 Container Port Performance Index (CPPI), the headlines understandably erupted in celebration.
For Tin Can Island and Apapa to land in the global Top 20 for performance gains is undoubtedly a historic milestone.
Yet, for seasoned maritime analysts and industry stakeholders, a glaring question remains: what about the rest of Nigeria’s coastlines?
While the satellite data accurately captures a localized turnaround in the Lagos pilotage districts, it simultaneously masks a stark regional imbalance.
The narrative of Nigerian maritime modernization cannot begin and end in Lagos.
 To truly turn the tide, the conversation must expand to the Eastern Corridor encompassing Onne Port, Port Harcourt Port, Calabar Port, and Warri Port.
The fundamental issue is that the World Bank’s CPPI relies strictly on automated vessel AIS data tracking.
It registers a win when ship turnaround times shrink at a berth, but it completely shuts out the structural and geographical deficiencies that prevent large vessels from even sailing into Eastern waters in the first place.
Modern deep sea shipping lines require drafts starting at 15 meters.
While multi-billion naira investments and natural depths allow Lagos and the expanding Lekki Deep Sea Port to receive mega-vessels, Calabar Port remains severely hindered by an un-dredged channel hovering around a shallow 6 to 7 meters.
Port Harcourt suffers from similar shallow constraints. Without aggressive, patriotic capital dredging projects, the devils in the details ensure that these regional Ports remain underutilized, regardless of how much digitization is deployed on paper.
It is easy for policymakers to announce massive financial interventions.
Critics are entirely right to point out that the Federal Government’s massive Port modernization plans must yield measurable metrics on the ground, not just political headlines.
However, recent data shows that commercial viability is waiting to be unlocked.
In overall cargo throughput metrics, Onne Port has consistently proven that the Eastern flank possesses massive economic power when given the operational room to breathe.
The roadmap for greenfield developments like the Ibom deep seaport and others exists, but real execution under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) framework will be the ultimate judge of these investments.
The current operational reality forces an unnatural economic bottleneck.
 Importers in the South-East and South-South regions frequently clear their goods in Lagos, only to transport them across hundreds of kilometers of volatile highways back to Eastern markets.
This layout drives up logistics expenses, completely wiping out the macro efficiencies celebrated in recent National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) trade surplus figures.
The next institutional hurdle for the Managing Director of the NPA, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, and the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, is the implementation of a unified, cooperative Port development strategy.
This requires more than just launching an electronic call-up system; it demands a deliberate re-alignment of tariff structures that actively incentivizes shipping consortia to divert traffic to regional hubs.
Ultimately, a Port system is only as strong as its weakest link. Celebrating the World Bank validation of Apapa and Tin Can is fair, but treating it as a nationwide victory is premature.
Until the institutional bottlenecks, channel depths, and security challenges of the Eastern Corridor seaports are solved with the same urgency applied to Lagos, Nigeria’s maritime sector will continue running on half its cylinders.
True maritime competitiveness is not won by building an elite logistics island in one state, but by unlocking the full economic potentials of the nation’s entire coastline.
Chief Ibrahim Nasiru, a public affairs Analyst, writes from Abuja
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Features

Beyond Lagos ports: Why NPA should position Eastern ports for global recognition

Chief Nasiru Ibrahim

Monday Discourse with Ibrahim Nasiru focuses on why government should look beyond Lagos ports and position Eastern ports for global recognition.

Our feature last week on the World Bank Top 20 ranking for Tin Can and Apapa Ports sparked an intense industry debate.

The biggest question raised: What about the rest of Nigeria’s coastlines?

Dropping tomorrow morning, June 29th, 2026,we go beyond the Lagos headlines to break down the hidden operational realities of Nigeria’s Eastern Ports.

Don’t miss “Beyond Lagos: The Untold Realities of Nigeria’s Eastern Corridor Seaports”

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Headlines

NIMASA unveils digital portal to fast track Seafarers’ discharge book processing

Gloria Odion, Maritime Reporter

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has intensified its digital transformation drive with the launch of an electronic Seafarer Discharge Book Management Portal, a platform designed to eliminate bureaucratic delays and automate the application, verification and issuance of Seafarers’ Discharge Books.

The portal was unveiled on Thursday, June 25th, 2026 in Lagos as part of activities commemorating the 2026 Day of the Seafarer, themed “Carrying the World Trade, Carrying the Risk.”

The initiative is expected to improve service delivery, strengthen the integrity of seafarers’ documentation and boost the international competitiveness of Nigerian seafarers through a fully digital certification process.

Speaking at the launch, the Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, described the platform as a major milestone in the Agency’s digital transformation agenda.

“As we celebrate the men and women who keep global trade moving, it is imperative that we also provide them with efficient and secure systems that support their professional development.

“The Seafarer Discharge Book Management Portal eliminates unnecessary bottlenecks, strengthens the integrity of our certification process and reinforces NIMASA’s commitment to the welfare and global competitiveness of Nigerian seafarers,” Mobereola said.

He explained that the portal provides a seamless end-to-end digital process beginning with the verification of applicants’ National Identification Numbers (NIN) through integration with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).

After successful authentication, applicants create accounts, verify their email addresses through a One-Time Password (OTP), complete live facial capture for identity confirmation and upload mandatory documents, including their Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) certificates and other required credentials.

According to the Director-General, every application is digitally reviewed by the Agency’s Shipping Master, who either approves compliant submissions or returns rejected applications with clear reasons for correction, ensuring transparency and accountability throughout the process.
Upon approval of all required documents, applicants can apply for a new, replacement or temporary Seafarer’s Discharge Book, make payment through the integrated online platform and receive an automatically generated unique Seafarer Discharge Book serial number after successful processing.
Mobereola said the fully automated system would significantly reduce processing time, minimise manual intervention and enhance the security, traceability and authenticity of seafarers’ documentation.
“Technology remains central to our vision of building a modern maritime administration that meets international standards.
“This platform is another demonstration of our resolve to deploy innovative solutions that improve regulatory efficiency while delivering better services to Nigerian seafarers and the maritime industry,” he added.
The launch of the portal reinforces NIMASA’s commitment to maritime safety standardisation, digital governance and efficient regulatory service delivery in line with global best practices.

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