Connect with us

Headlines

Bello-Koko, NPA MD, laments extortions on port access road- says it hobbles trade facilitation 

The eyewitness reporter
The Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mohammed Bello-Koko, has lamented the high rate of extortion along the access roads of the Lagos and Tin Can Island Port Complexes.
This is coming on the heels of the clearance operations the Authority undertook from 16th to 18th July to rid the Port corridor of shanties and illegal erections which harbor the criminal elements who perpetrate these acts of extortion.
On the eve of the port corridor clearance operations carried out in collaboration with Lagos State Government earlier this month, the Managing Director /CEO NPA Mohammed Bello Koko had lamented that “these acts of extortion and allied illegalities are injurious to trade facilitation, which is our core function and we cannot allow these nefarious characters make nonsense of the gateways to the national economy which the ports constitute”.
Speaking further, Bello Koko said, “we had in the past visited punitive measures on our staff who were complicit in such unethical practices, and I want to reiterate that once we are confronted with evidence of any of our staff involved in these acts of sabotage, we would sanction them in line with the public service rules and our conditions of service which has zero tolerance for such malfeasance”.
Koko had whilst receiving the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Idowu Owohunwa earlier this month at the NPA Headquarters enlisted the support of the police in tackling the extortion menace.
 Bello Koko had specifically cited that “the jurisdictional rule that restricts the powers of the Port Authority Police Command (PAPC) to the Port premises, is the more reason why we are calling for increased synergy between PAPC and officers of the Lagos State Police Command”.
The NPA MD/CEO had earlier met with the leadership at various levels of the Nigerian Army, the Navy, the Federal Road Safety Corp (FRSC) and the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) stressing the pressing need to collectively nip the menace of extortion in the bud.
The Nigerian Ports Authority under Koko had completed the perimeter fencing of the Tincan Island Port to curb unauthorized access to the port premises.
However, the sanity achieved by this measure is localized within the Port, whilst the majority of these illegalities happen along the port access road which is not within the NPA’s purview.
It will be recalled that the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR) had in March 2023 published video footage showing the assault these extortionists visit on trucks inbound and outbound the port corridor.
The Authority’s fact-finding has identified flash points of extortion ranging from 500 Naira to as high as 5,000 Naira and the mode of perpetration.
The Authority solicits the collaboration of sister government agencies operating along the port corridor to sustainably tackle this menace that is impeding the ease of doing business around our ports.
Related Topics:
Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Customs

Customs, American Business Council strengthen strategic partnership to advance trade facilitation.

Gloria Odion, Maritime reporter 

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the American Business Council (ABC) have reinforced their commitment to fostering stronger trade relations and resolving operational challenges affecting businesses through sustained collaboration between the public and private sectors.

This commitment was reaffirmed during a quarterly stakeholder engagement held on  June 16th, 2026 at the NCS Headquarters in Abuja,where both parties deliberated on measures to enhance trade facilitation,strengthen supply chain security, and deepen economic cooperation between Nigeria and the United States.

Addressing participants at the meeting, the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, underscored the value of continuous stakeholder engagement, describing it as a critical driver of effective policy implementation and improved service delivery.

He disclosed that the engagement would be institutionalised as a regular feature of the Service’s operational calendar.

“It is our intention to institutionalize this engagement as a permanent feature of the Customs calendar because of the importance we attach to this kind of interaction,” Adeniyi stated.

The CGC also provided updates on several key trade facilitation initiatives being implemented by the Service, including the Advance Ruling System, the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) Programme, Post Clearance Audit mechanisms, the B’Odogwu platform,as well as ongoing enhancements in scanning integration and cargo clearance processes designed to improve efficiency, transparency, and compliance.

Representatives of the American Business Council commended the reforms introduced by the Service and acknowledged the positive impact of the ongoing modernisation efforts.

They also advocated for faster resolution mechanisms to address lingering business concerns and further improve the operating environment for investors.

Speaking on behalf of the Council, ABC President, Nneka Enwereji, described the engagement as highly productive and lauded the Customs leadership for its proactive approach to facilitating trade and improving the ease of doing business in Nigeria.

“This session has been exceptional and clearly reflects your commitment to improving the ease of doing business.

“The Service has set a commendable standard, and there is much that can be learned from these initiatives,” she said.

The meeting further underscored the shared commitment of both organisations to strengthening dialogue, enhancing trade efficiency, and creating a more conducive environment for economic growth and investment

Continue Reading

Customs

Apapa Customs leads intelligence – based operation to intercept 1.8tonnes of Cannabis Sativa, N12.8b worth of expired pharmaceuticals products

Funso OLOJO, Editor
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), has led an intelligence- led operation in conjunction with the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), on Monday, 15th June, 2026, to intercept a 40FT container with number CAAU7569127 conveying a large consignment of Cannabis Sativa, commonly known as “Canadian.
According to the Apapa Customs command, the operation led to the recovery of 3,639 sachets of the illicit substance, with each sachet weighing 500 grams, bringing the total weight to approximately 1,819 kilograms (1.81 tonnes).
Preliminary field tests conducted on the substance returned positive results for Cannabis Sativa.
The drugs were cleverly concealed inside a black Toyota Nissan vehicle, a Toyota Sienna, along with several bags and drums loaded inside the container.
The interception highlights the Command’s enhanced capacity to detect and dismantle sophisticated smuggling networks attempting to exploit Nigeria’s maritime entry points.
The examination was carried out in collaboration with key security and regulatory agencies.
In a related development, the Command intercepted 2 x 40FT containers loaded with expired pharmaceutical products illegally imported into the country.
Physical examination revealed that the pharmaceutical products have varied expiry date of 2021, 2022 and 2023 which the importers planned to relabel  and reintroduce into the Nigerian market, posing serious health risks to unsuspecting consumers.
The 1 x 40FT with number PCIU8771576 contained expired pharmaceuticals including Cidoxilin Capsules, Cynamine Vitamin B12 Injection and Becoline B-Complex Injection.
While, 1 x 40FT container with number MRKU4961275 contained various expired medical products such as Oxytocin Injection, Mexclor Eye Drops, Avomex Tablets, Carbamazepine Tablets, Silymarin Tablets, Nystatin Tablets, Hyoscine Butylbromide Tablets.
The seized items have a combined Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N12.8 billion .
The substantial seizure highlights the scale of the attempted economic sabotage and underscores the unwavering commitment of the Nigeria Customs Service to protecting national security, public health and the Nigerian economy through intelligence-driven enforcement operations.
Commenting on the seizures, the Customs Area Controller (CAC), Apapa Area Command, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba warned that “unpatriotic importers and their collaborators who deliberately engage in smuggling, drug trafficking and the importation of expired pharmaceuticals are enemies of Nigeria’s progress.
“We have the intelligence, the technology and the resolve to identify and apprehend them.
“Anyone still contemplating these criminal acts should immediately desist, because the consequences will be swift, decisive and uncompromising.
“Apapa Port will not be used as a conduit for economic sabotage and public health endangerment.”
Comptroller Oshoba further warned that Apapa Port and all Customs-controlled areas remain under constant surveillance.
The CAC reassured all Nigerians of the Command’s commitment to intensifying intelligence-driven operations to protect lives, secure legitimate trade and uphold national security.
Continue Reading

Headlines

Nigerian ports gain global recognition as World Bank ranks Apapa, Tin Can among world’s most improved ports.

Gloria Odion, Maritime reporter

Nigeria’s ongoing port modernisation and infrastructure upgrade programme has earned international recognition, with two of the country’s busiest seaports—Apapa and Tin Can Island Ports—listed among the world’s top 20 most improved ports by the World Bank.

The recognition came in the World Bank’s 2025 Container Port Performance Index (CPPI), released in June 2026, which highlighted both Lagos ports in its global ranking of ports that recorded the most significant improvements in operational efficiency.


The CPPI provides a consistent, data-driven assessment of port performance worldwide by measuring the time vessels spend in port.

The index enables stakeholders to compare port efficiency across different countries and over time, while identifying areas of progress and operational challenges.

The latest ranking is a major endorsement of the Federal Government’s efforts to modernise Nigeria’s port infrastructure and enhance trade facilitation through reforms spearheaded by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).

According to the Authority, the achievement further reinforces its contribution to sustaining Nigeria’s trade surplus by providing efficient port services that support growing import and export activities.

Nigeria has recorded consecutive annual trade surpluses since 2024, with the most recent figure standing at N7.54 trillion in the first quarter of 2026, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

Reacting to the development, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Abubakar Dantsoho, attributed the achievement to the Federal Government’s investor-friendly policies and the ongoing port modernisation drive.

“With the investor-friendliness of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu providing the gravitas needed for increased investment to implement our port infrastructure and equipment modernisation drive, coupled with the unflinching support of the Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, we have all it takes to advance the fortunes of trade and boost the national economy,” Dantsoho stated.

The World Bank recognition is expected to further strengthen investor confidence in Nigeria’s maritime sector and support ongoing efforts to position the country’s ports as competitive gateways for regional and international trade.

 

Continue Reading

Trending