Shipping Position
COMTUA Is Intact; Nobody Has Dissolved It, Says National President.
By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
National President, Council of Maritime Truck Unions Associations (COMTUA), Comrade Adeyinka Aroyewun, has debunked the notion those he called detractors are bandying that the coalition is in disarray. Aroyewun stated this, Tuesday, during an online personality round- table organized in Lagos by the Maritime Reporters’ Association of Nigeria, MARAN. He urged members of the public to disregard the alleged story of dissolution as it exists only in the imagination of people who, haven failed in the bid to have their way, have resorted to a campaign of calumny against the maritime truckers group.
He said that as a body, COMTUA noticed certain anomalies in how the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) was operating the Truck Transit Parks (TTP) and the trucks electronic call-up system (Eto) and raised alarm. Those who individually benefited from the anomalies associated with these systems protested because the association’s stance prevented them from achieving their selfish objectives, hence the resort to blackmail.
Even a year after coming on-board November 25, 2021, he explained, some people who claimed to be founding fathers have not seen the need to relinquish leadership responsibilities to the current leadership under him.
He referred to the issue of bank account and said: “For example, COMTUA has only one account domiciled with Access Bank. The signatories to that account happened to be the first BOT Chairman of the collaboration in the person of Comrade Aloga Ogbogo who is currently the Executive Secretary of NARTO, the current President General, Maritime Workers’ Union, who is also the co-Chairman of the BOT of COMTUA since 2020 and the third signatory is Otunba Olaleye Thompson who was then the President. The last signatory was Madam Folake George who was the Director of Finance.
“The moment the baton of leadership changed since November 25, 2021, none of these four signatories have voluntarily or otherwise released their signatures for the mandate to change. As I speak with you, we have not been able to access COMTUA’s account as executives in the last one and half years of our administration.
Secondly, the so-called elders of the collaboration, in the name of the collaboration, got garages, parks and pregate garages for themselves under TTP. The moment COMTUA began to see inadequacies in Eto and TTP arrangement and started challenging these inadequacies, they became uncomfortable.
“These our so-called founding fathers who have been profiting directly or indirectly from TTP legitimately or illegitimately now feel COMTUA is becoming too powerful for them and it is going to cause problem for them. They felt after submitting their resignation letters three years ago, two years ago, last year and some this year, they can come back to say that they have dissolved COMTUA.”
He was assertive that what appeared as disagreements in the the organization had since been resolved by the members. COMTUA never had any problems among individual component associations.
“Whoever are speaking against COMTUA are no longer members of COMTUA. So, we want the media and the general public to disregard any campaign of calumny as it stands now because COMTUA does not have any problem as a collaboration.
“However, we should not fail to remember that there is freedom of association. You can be in or out of an association at will and since some people have chosen to be out of the association and they have followed due process by writing officially to dissociate themselves from the association. It is okay, it has been accepted. That has been settled internally. Every other issue that we have among ourselves has been resolved internally and we will continue to do that because we have our internal mechanism to resolve conflicts.
“The noise you are hearing now is from people that are no longer members of the collaboration and are determined to bring the name and integrity of the association to disrepute. The association will not fold its hands and look at them to engage in a campaign of calumny against the association. Beyond that, if they fail to desist from their conduct, the association will not hesitate to take a legal action against them.
Aroyewun declared that an association, COMTUA is actually a pressure group speaking in favour of or against the policies of government.
“That we have been doing. Some people do not see any reason for us to do that and only if they are members of the association and they are able to convince us against what we are doing. We don’t have any issue among ourselves except for people who are no longer members of the collaboration.”
On allegation of lack of leadership trust, the reason the Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN) and the National Union of Road Transport Workers, (NURTW) allegedly left the Council, he insisted that there was never a time the issue of trust has come up in COMTUA. There has never been any case of financial misappropriation or criminal allegation.
“COMTUA does not have any issue of trust and, let me correct you, Maritime Workers’ Union pulled out in 2021 and that was under the administration of Otunba Olaleye Thompson. However, the Maritime Workers’ Union pulled out basically because they are actually not transporters; they are dockworkers, seafarers, NPA employees and so on. They came into this collaboration on the ground that they were going to strengthen us whenever we are going to make demands from the government such that they will also embark on industrial action whenever we will be withdrawing our services.
Aroyewun regretted that on several occasions when the Council demanded for them to give support to a legitimate cause, they were unable to provide it because of their relationship with the Nigeria Ports Authority and their status as NPA employees.
“They often do not cooperate with us when we have demands to make of NPA. However, we were managing the relationship even though I was not the president at that time. For example, we wrote to NPA demanding to know why the electronic call-up regime is not functioning properly. We expected the Maritime Workers’ Union, as decided in the meeting, to be part of signatories to this letter, but the President of the Maritime Workers Union declined his signature.
“There was never a time the NURTW withdrew their membership of COMTUA. The present co-Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Council of Maritime Transport Unions and Associations is Prof. Ibikunle Baruwa who is the President of NURTW.
COMTUA does not have any issue of trust with anybody. There is nothing like financial misappropriation in COMTUA; there is nothing like criminal allegations in COMTUA. Those that actually withdrew their membership from COMTUA have their personal reasons for doing so and we don’t have a problem with that as we have moved on.
As about four associations have withdrawn their membership of the collaboration, he stated, six more associations have applied and are now members of COMTUA.
“We have the Green Initiative, Maritime Truck Drivers, the Lekki Fertilizer Group, the Arewa Group, the Marine Beach operators, Amuwo-Odofin Truck Operators and the rest of them. So, the collaboration is ongoing and we are waxing stronger and that is why you are seeing everybody showing concern about the existence of COMTUA. If COMTUA had issues, nobody would want to associate with it.”
Aroyewun recalled that before COMTUA came into existence, the maritime transportation industry had been battling with a lot of issues. These included traffic congestion and the challenges of returning empty containers.
“It was through COMTUA that the introduction of holding bays where our members do not have where to return empty containers to the port was actualized. What we do now is to return empty containers to the holding bays. It has saved the industry a lot of stress in the area of container deposit.”
To him, this is one major achievement in the past five years.
“Before now, when you loaded cargo, after discharging the cargo, you would be on the road for weeks before you are able to return the empty containers. The importer is incurring demurrage and the truck is also stuck. We no longer return empty containers to the port; we return them to the holding bays across Lagos State and beyond. This saves us a lot of turnaround time. This was an initiative of COMTUA to the Nigerian Shippers’ Council and the Nigerian Ports Authority.
He said that before now, the congestion in the port area was not only limited to the roads only. From time to time, COMTUA embarked on educating the drivers on the need to be more professional in their conduct.
” I can assure you, in recent times, the rate of accident has reduced and our drivers are more professional now. In addition to this, you will understand that COMTUA has been faced with a lot of challenges vis-a-vis so many unpopular policies of the government and we do not hesitate often to engage the government in policy making. For example, in the past, when the federal government was setting up the Presidential Task Team, members of COMTUA were included in that project and that project stayed for a period and served some of the purposes even though there were challenges.”
Maritime Agencies
NAGAFF Pledges Watertight Enforcement, Unveils A More Formidable 100% Compliance Team.
By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
The 100% Compliance Team of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) which appeared inactive for over six months is now reformed and better focused to perform her duties strictly in line with her mandate.
The Team Coordinator, Alhaji Ibrahim Tanko, disclosed this in Lagos, Friday, during the official unveiling of a new office complex at Eleganza Plaza, Apapa.
“Today, we commission the new secretariat of the 100% Compliance Team and we are ready to take this Team to a higher pedestal”.
He said that for over six months, the interventionist outfit went into some kind of hibernation to take a comprehensive review of internal issues especially concerning her operations and the overall conduct of her operatives with a view to performing better.
”From today”, he pledged, “you will start seeing the effects of a new Compliance
Team”.
On stakeholder concerns that some operatives of the Team do not live above board in their conduct even as it is said that he who goes for equity must come with clean hands, Tanko said among every twelve, there must be a Judas.
On the question of discipline, every society is made up of the good, the bad and the ugly, he posited
”We are doing everything possible to sanitise the system and to continue to maintain discipline”.
Tanko who promised that the Team is now ready to build into the training programme of the NAGAFF Academy said as part of the rebirth now unveiled, Customs Area Commands are now to support regular refresher courses for freight forwarders especially in the aspect of classification. He assured that going forward, the Team’s programmes and activities are to benefit from full digitalization.
He announced that the Team is set to acquire a new office in Port Harcourt which it plans to open come February. “We are working hand- in-hand with the Economic and financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Anti-Corruption Practices Commission (ICPC) to make Nigeria stronger. We shall also expand this new place to accommodate the TDI that will also hopefully open in February.”
Dr Boniface Aniebomam, NAGAFF Founder
Earlier in his post-inauguration remarks, NAGAFF Founder, Dr Boniface Okechukwu Aniebonam extolled the willingness of NAGAFF leaders to add value, describing it as the driving force behind the association. Those running the Compliance Team, he cautioned, must understand the limit of their position. “The saying ‘See something, say something’ is very observatory.”
” Do note that the Port is a Customs Port. If Customs has not released your cargo, do not make trouble until it is done; if it is released on the ground of expediency, also remember that other sister agencies are also there to intervene. The NAGAFF approach is centred on dialogue, communication, diplomacy and discussion.
Chief Tochukwu Ezisi, NAGAFF National President
NAGAFF President, Chief Tochukwu Ezisi recalled that when the NAGAFF 100% Compliance Team was inaugurated four years ago, the industry was at crossroads. There were compliance gaps, procedural inconsistencies even as operational shortcuts worked against efficiency and operational trust.
”Many wondered whether a single team could truly shift the culture of an entire industry.”
He said with the birth of the Compliance Team, the level of regulatory compliance among freight forwarders nationwide went up while infractions, delays, penalties and operational setbacks took the back seat.
He explained that strengthened collaboration with key government agencies, especially the
Nigeria Customs Service, promoted ethical conduct and professionalism and has contributed significantly to improved revenue assurance for the Federal
Government.
The Compliance Team has equally enhanced the reputation of NAGAFF as a responsible, forward-thinking, and compliance-driven organization.
Chief Ezisi set ambitious targets for the repositioned NAGAFF 100% Compliance Team to include full Digital Compliance Integration as the goal is to become the most digitally-compliant freight forwarding body in Nigeria.
The group is also out to reduce compliance infractions by 60% within two years through training, monitoring and proactive engagement even as institutional collaboration is enhanced.
”We must deepen our partnership with Customs, NPA, SON, NAFDAC, and other regulators to promote transparency, fairness, and predictability in port operations.
NAGAFF will also establish a National Compliance Intelligence Network to help detect detect risks early, identify patterns of malpractice, and protect members from avoidable pitfalls.
By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
In a renewed effort to add more bite and ensure strict compliance to laws and regulations guiding Nigeria’s freight forwarding industry, the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) will, come January 30, relaunch and recommission her Compliance Team at its new office location at Eleganza Plaza, Apapa.
Mr Bartholomew Okeke, Chief of Staff to the NAGAFF Compliance Team, disclosed this in Apapa, Tuesday.
Mr. Okeke explained that the Compliance Team, inaugurated in February 2021, serves as NAGAFF’s enforcement and intervention arm.
The interventionist body executes legitimate directives of the National President to ensure that freight forwarders and relevant government agencies comply with extant rules and regulations.
“Where there is infringement from either practitioners or government agencies, we intervene. That is why it is called the Compliance Team. We are not confrontational by default; we are interventionist,” he said.
Following the takeover of the former office by the plaza management for other uses, he explained, it became necessary to relocate to another block within the same complex. So, the exercise goes beyond reopening an office.
“We are not just recommissioning an office; we are relaunching ourselves more forcefully. We want people to know that we are not just back—we are forward-looking and fully committed to ensuring that all extant laws guiding the freight forwarding industry are strictly observed,” Okeke stated.
On challenges faced by the Compliance Team in the past, Okeke identified non-compliance by both operators and some government agency personnel, often driven by personal interests.
“There are people among government agencies who are out for their own pockets. When we confront such issues head-on with facts and institutional backing, they comply. We are connected to relevant authorities and we escalate issues of non-compliance appropriately,” he said. He assured that going forward, the Compliance Team plans to adopt a more engagement-driven approach rather than confrontation.
“The next phase is deeper engagement with agencies and stakeholders. It’s not all about fighting; it’s about facilitating trade. We want practical engagement, dialogue, and a think-tank approach to address challenges head-on,” he explained.
On the level of compliance in the industry, Okeke said automation and reduced human interference have improved adherence to procedures, placing compliance at about 60 percent.
“It’s not satisfactory yet, but we are moving forward. Our target is at least 90 percent compliance. There is no foolproof system, but our job is to educate, re-educate, and ensure reasonable compliance,” he added.
Being the umbrella body of freight forwarders in Nigeria, NAGAFF boasts of the largest membership in the sector, he reaffirmed.
“When NAGAFF speaks, the industry listens. We represent the industry optimally,” he said, adding that continuous training remains central to the association’s philosophy of operating strictly on the side of the law.
Okeke recalled NAGAFF’s opposition to arbitrary increases in terminal and shipping line charges, including protests and engagements with the Nigerian Shippers’ Council that led to stakeholder meetings and moderated outcomes.
“We do not shy away from defending our members and the economy. Whenever there are arbitrary charges, we are at the front line,” he explained.
NAGAFF has over 1,000 members across various chapters nationwide, with the Compliance Team present in all major ports.
Following the recommissioning, the Compliance Team plans to embark on advocacy visits to the Eastern Ports and Port Harcourt to reinforce its message of compliance and alliance-building.
“There must always be room for discipline. We are the mirror of NAGAFF, and we must uphold its image,” Okeke said.
Friday’s recommissioning ceremony will be graced by top dignitaries including the NAGAFF National President, Chief Tochukwu Ezisi, the Founder, Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, the Board of Trustees Chairman, Customs representatives, and other key stakeholders.
Maritime Agencies
WAR AGAINST KILLER DRUGS: Apapa Customs, NDLEA Collaborate To Nab Huge Quantity of ‘Canadian Loud’.
By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
In her unwavering efforts to ensure that killer – drugs do not find entry into Nigeria, the Apapa Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has, in liaison with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), intercepted a 347.5 kilograms of ‘Canadian Loud’ concealed in an imported Toyota Sienna car. The highly – valued substance is a potent strain of cannabis, ordinarily known as marijuana.
As stated in a press release by CSC Isah Suleiman, the Apapa Customs Command Public Relations Officer, the contraband hidden in 13 bags within one of four vehicles contained in a single consignment was discovered following a painstaking weighing exercise. A breakdown shows ten bags at 25kg each, one at 29kg, and two at 34.5kg and 34kg respectively, totaling 347.5kg.
This interception marks the fourth major joint drug bust by the Nigeria Customs, Apapa Command and the NDLEA in less than two months.
In his remarks, the Apapa Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba re-enacted his warning to criminal elements and their networks to keep off the Command as the Command is always ahead of them to exploit whatever antics they deploy to undermine national security via the ports.
“Any attempt by criminal elements to traffic prohibited items through Apapa Port will be detected and thwarted. We remain vigilant and resolute in the discharge of our duty to protect our society and national security.”
He emphasized that under his watch, no cargo, whether import or export will pass through Apapa Port without thorough examination.
The operation also reflects the exemplary cooperation between Customs and NDLEA, championed by the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, PhD. Intelligence sharing and joint tactical efforts have consistently outmaneuvered smuggling networks in Nigeria’s maritime sector.
Oshoba credited this strengthened partnership for the success, noting that the upcoming deployment of a high-capacity drive-through scanner capable of processing 200 containers per hour will further revolutionize anti-smuggling operations.
Both agencies continue to operate under strict Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that foster zero tolerance, professionalism, and seamless cooperation. In line with established protocols, the seized cannabis has been formally handed over to the NDLEA for further investigation and prosecution of suspects linked to the consignment.
This latest success builds on the recognition accorded to Comptroller Oshoba and NDLEA Apapa Special Area Commander Mohammed Tukur, who were both awarded the WCO Certificate of Merit on January 26, 2026, in Abuja during the International Customs Day celebrations.
Oshoba further explained that the interception aligns with the 2026 ICD theme: “Customs Protecting Society Through Vigilance and Commitment.”
While Customs remains committed to facilitating legitimate trade, the CAC reaffirmed, it will intensify efforts to disrupt illicit activities and safeguard society.
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