The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has enlisted the support of the Nigeria Police to curb extortion and other illegalities on the Apapa and TinCan Island Port Complex (LPC) Lagos’ access roads.
This, NPA said, was vital to the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between it and the Lagos State Government on truck traffic control and enforcement in Apapa and environs.
Speaking while receiving the AIG Zone 2 Command Bode Adeyinka Adeleke, and his counterpart in the Maritime Police Command, Ibrahim Kaoje, the Managing Director of NPA, Mr Mohammed Bello Koko, lamented the number of checkpoints along the ports corridor and got the consent of the AIG to join the NPA management on a spot check of the port’s access road.
The check, which was conducted on Sunday, had in attendance the NPA management and the two AIGs, Lagos State Commissioner of Police and representative of the Lagos State Government indeed confirmed the reality of several illegal checkpoints which the AIGs promptly issued directive to be dismantled with a marching order to the Area Commanders and Divisional Police Officers (DPO) to ensure sustainability of orderliness as they would be held accountable for breaches.
Further to this, it was learnt, a special mobile court had been assigned by the Lagos State Government to assure speedy dispensation of justice and prosecution of persons arrested for extortion, unauthorised collections, illegal checkpoints or other practices inhibiting the ease of doing business around the ports.
It will be recalled that previous efforts at curbing extortion being aided and abetted by uniformed men and other officials of government had been hampered by jurisdictional overlaps between the Ports Authority Police Command (PAPC) and the Lagos State Police Command.