Containers’ blockage causes billions in losses at Lagos ports

The maritime industry is reeling from a massive scandal involving the maritime police, who have been accused of orchestrating several container blockages at the Lagos Ports. The blockage, which has resulted in billions of naira in losses, has sparked widespread outrage and calls for an end to the duplication of the port clearance process by […]

The maritime industry is reeling from a massive scandal involving the maritime police, who have been accused of orchestrating several container blockages at the Lagos Ports.

The blockage, which has resulted in billions of naira in losses, has sparked widespread outrage and calls for an end to the duplication of the port clearance process by the police.

Members of the Organized Private Sector, at a stakeholders’ engagement held in Lagos at the weekend at the instance of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, accused officers of the Command of detaining already cleared containers at the port, citing various reasons for the detention.

However, stakeholders in the industry have alleged that the police are engaging in sharp practices and extortion, deliberately blocking containers to extort money from importers.

This they said is contrary to the 2017 Executive Order which directs all relevant agencies to operate a single joint inspection of containers at the port.

According to stakeholders over 1,500 containers worth billions of naira are allegedly being blocked monthly by policemen, using the vessels’ manifest.

This has led to significant financial losses for the affected parties.

But in a swift reaction, Public Relations Officer of the Command, ASP Adebayo Rasheed refuted the complaints, insisting that some container-loads of ammunition have been intercepted by officers of the Command, through intelligence driven approach.

ASP Rasheed stated that the Police carries out its operations based on intelligence, assuring that the police would not compromise national security on the altar of trade facilitation.

According to him, blocking of containers by the Police cannot be stopped.

Stakeholders drawn from freight forwarding associations, truck owners, terminal operators and importers highlighted that once cargoes have passed examination and been duly cleared by Customs and other government agencies, post-clearance interceptions amount to a breakdown of process integrity and regulatory coordination.

They stressed that such actions expose importers to excessive demurrage, storage charges and contract defaults, while eroding confidence in Nigeria’s port system among global trading partners.

Speaking on the menace, the General Manager of Port and Terminal Multiservices Limited (PTML), Mr. Babatunde Keshiro, noted that the core issue is a lack of sincerity of purpose and the practice of parallel authority.

His words: “I am glad that the Maritime Police spokesman confirmed that Police officials are part of the examination process. Whatever concerns or reservations they observe on these cargoes should be raised during the examination by the lead agency which is Nigeria Customs Service (NCS). Once the cargo has been cleared and exited the ports, there shouldn’t be any ploy to delay it. No letter, no sanction should arise after that.

“I draw the attention of industry stakeholders to an executive order that was given in 2022 directing the stoppage of this practice of intercepting already cleared and released containers.”

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Apapa Chapter of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Chief Emeka Chukwumalu, said the Police must be ready to bear the financial consequences of demurrage whenever containers are blocked after clearance.

Similarly, Chairman of the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents at PTML Terminal, Abayomi Duyile, accused shipping companies of aiding the practice by releasing cargo manifests to the Police, describing it as illegal and contrary to international shipping standards.

Other speakers, including the President of the Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO), Chief Remi Ogungbemi, and representatives of joint freight forwarding associations, echoed concerns that container blocking after clearance disrupts port operations and shifts inefficiencies onto port users.