Maritime Agencies

SPEEDY TRIAL OF CASES: Stakeholders At MASPAN/AMANO Summit Caution NDLEA, Other Agencies.

Published

2 years ago

August 25, 2024

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By Izuchukwu Ozoemena

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and similar regulatory bodies have been asked to change their investigative tactics, speed up and desist from unduly dragging investigations into cases of drugs found on vessels. Delay, it is argued, places at a huge disadvantage ship crew, shipowners and importers aboard vessels suspected to carry drugs and other illicit substances especially when, at the end of the day, they are found not culpable for such transactions.

Interventions by shipping experts unanimously pointed this way in Lagos,Thursday, when shipping and security stakeholders converged at the Maritime Security Providers Association of Nigeria (MASPAN) and Alumni of Maritime Academy of Nigeria Oron (AMANO) summit to discuss “Drugs & Human Smuggling/Trafficking: The Evolving Maritime Security Threats To Ships Seafarers”.

They observed that shipowners lose millions of dollars to vessel delays, legal costs, crew salaries and inconveniences including additional costs on their families during delayed investigation of drug trafficking suspicions.

Several shipowners, the experts observed, have gone into depression and bankruptcy as they battle loss of business opportunities and other inconveniences.

Speaking at the event, Capt Suresh Prabhakar, Director, Operations, Pacific Basin Shipping Ltd, Hong Kong, deplored a situation where the regulatory agencies would detain ships for a long period of time, spend months on investigation only to discover later that the crew, shipowners and even importers do not have a hand in the transactions.

“From February 2021 to July 2024,” he pointed out, “there were 4 bulk carriers laden with sugar from Santos, Brazil, to Lagos where cocaine of quantities varying from 18 to 43 kilograms were discovered onboard each ship by the NDLEA.”

“During the course of the investigations, each ship was delayed for between 4 to 6 months and allowed to sail after owners posted bonds ranging from $2 million to $5 million.”

“On each ship about half the crew members, which is about 10 crew per ship, were detained. The bail amount posted per crew member to allow them to reside in a hotel rather than in a detention facility was $40,000, which totals to $400,000 for 10 crew.

“On two ships, after multiple court hearings crew were released after being detained for about 20 months each. The other two ships’ crew are still under detention in Lagos whilst court hearings are ongoing. The crew have been in Lagos for 34 months and 13 months respectively.

“Such incidents cost ship owners huge amounts of money in lost revenue by way of vessel delays, legal costs, crew salaries, family upkeep and the like. Additionally, when crew members are subjected to such treatment, most responsible owners expend a lot of time and effort in trying to secure their release.”

Cases such as these, he explained, place the shipowner at a disadvantage, adversely impacting his ability to engage in such trades and maintaining business on productive routes.

Prabhakar asked regulatory agencies to be proactive always. Shipowners should be informed when it is proved that the crew aboard a ship are involved in the drug trafficking. He maintained that the shipowners would be ready and willing to hand over the suspects to the authorities, rather than detain the ship indefinitely with other innocent crew members.

“But unfortunately in some countries like here (Nigeria), the NDLEA have been detaining ships for long periods of time, crews for long periods of time and then they have sort of been put through a lot of mental and physical stress. And then many of them don’t want to come back to sea again as a career” he regretted.

In his remarks, Chairman of the occasion, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, condemned the current level of security threat in the maritime sector, particularly as concerns illicit drugs and human trafficking.

He spoke through Heaky Dimowo, the Director, Marine Environment Management, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA.

“These activities are not merely criminal act, they erode our social fabric, destabilize communities and challenge our law enforcement at sea,” the Minister said.

“Moreover, they pose significant risk to the Maritime and Security of seafarers and vessels. Today we must confront the fact that our waters are increasingly viewed as transit route to illicit activities.”

The minister maintained that it was essential that Nigeria developed comprehensive strategies to address these evolving threats by leveraging on technical innovations, enhancing intelligence capabilities and fostering collaboration among critical stakeholders.

“Together, we can develop multifaceted responses that effectively combat these challenges” he concluded.

“On each ship about half the crew members, which is about 10 crew per ship were detained. The bail amount posted per crew member to allow them to reside in a hotel rather than in a detention facility was $40,000, which totals to $400,000 for 10 crew.

He said cases such as these, adversely impact the ability of shipowners to engage in such trades and several owners and operators are forced to choose alternative trade routes.

Prabhakar appealed to relevant agencies of government, especially the NDLEA to always inform the shipowners once they are sure that the crew are involved in the drug trafficking incident. He maintained that the shipowners would be ready and willing to hand over the suspects to the authories, rather than have the ship detained with other innocent crew members detained, insisting that in 99.99% of the cases there is zero crew members involved.

“But unfortunately in some countries like here, the NDLEA have been detaining ships for long periods of time, crews for long periods of time and then they have sort of been put through a lot of mental and physical stress. And then many of them don’t want to come back to sea again as a career” he disclosed.

Speaking, the Summit Chairman, Emmanuel Maiguwa said the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

(UNODC) sees West Africa as a transit region for narcotics mostly emanating from South America, a development that gave filip to the summit.

“With recent incidents involving merchant ships (excluding cases of drugs concealed in cargo containers) from South America to Nigeria rising to about four within the last two years, this maritime corridor proves to be providing mobility for this illicit activity.

He informed that on the issue of human trafficking, records from Africa Risk Compliance (ARC) show a significant number of incidents where stowaways have been discovered on ships calling Nigerian ports.

While Nigeria may not present specific records linking stowaways to drug smuggling operations, he continued, it is of great concern that drug traffickers could potentially collaborate with stowaway networks. This partnership could lead to a coordinated effort to use stowaways as couriers, moving drugs from West Africa to Europe.

“Both MASPAN and AMANO express strong support for the fight against all forms of trafficking and smuggling, including drugs and humans; we are mainly focused on addressing responses to these crimes as they occur within the maritime corridor.

“We aim to ensure that perpetrators of these crimes are apprehended and fully punished by the law without subjecting the innocent to unnecessary difficulties that are counterproductive to the growth of shipping” he added.

Maritime Agencies

CUSTOMS’ ZONE ‘A’ SPORTS EVENT: CGC Adeniyi Highlights Need for Discipline, Teamwork in Customs Operations.

Published

1 day ago

September 7, 2026

Admin

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‎By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
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‎With a colourful display of sporting artistry, discipline and commitment, the Zone ‘A’ of the Nigeria Customs Service, Saturday, concluded the finals of her 2026 Inter-Command Games competition and award ceremonies.
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‎Zone ‘A’ of the Service comprises 15 autonomous Commands . These are Apapa; Federal Operations Unit (FOU, Ikeja; Kirikiri Lighter Terminal; Lagos Free Trade Zone; Lilypond Export; Murtala Mohammed Airport Command and the Murtala Mohammed International Airport Command. Others are Lagos Industrial Command; Ogun 1, Idiroko Command; Ogun 2, Abeokuta; PTML Command; Seme; Tincan; Western Marine Command and the Customs Police.
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‎In his opening remarks, Comptroller – General of the Service, Dr Bashir Adewale Adeniyi paid glowing tributes to the Zonal Coordinator, Zone A, Assistant Comptroller-General (ACG) Mohammed Babandede, the Chairman of the Organising Committee, Comptroller Chidi Nwokorie and his team for the colourful and impressive arrangement for the competition.
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‎Commenting on the state of sports infrastructure of the Service generally, the CGC called for noticeable improvements across all formations to develop the sporting talents of officers as this plays a key role in ensuring fitness and chances of enhanced prospects of productivity by officers who use such facilities.
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‎He described as unacceptable the state of sporting facilities at the Customs Training College, Ikeja, venue of the event, observing that it does not speak good of a Service that has made significant contributions to the growth of sports in Nigeria.
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‎Stating that consolidation , collaboration and innovation remain the key fulcrum of his tenure, CGC Adeniyi commended sister security agencies that participated in the event, including the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, describing their presence as a further effort to deepen the existing collaboration and partnership in the discharge of national security responsibilities.
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‎Adeniyi noted that Customs had produced athletes and teams that had excelled in various sporting competitions, recalling that at a time, the Service was the defending champion in male and female volleyball and had also performed strongly in basketball, football, athletics and beach volleyball. He said the service was already building an ultra-modern sporting facility in one of its barracks in Kano and promised that a befitting sports facility would be included in the proposed new location of the FOU and the Customs Training College Iperu, Ogun State.
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‎Beyond sports, the CG said the competition offered important lessons that Customs officers should apply to their professional duties, particularly discipline, teamwork and strategy. He stressed that just as success in sports required discipline and effective teamwork, Customs operations and revenue generation also required clear strategies and coordinated efforts.
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‎He congratulated the winners and encouraged those who lost to prepare for future competitions, urging officers to maintain the spirit of sportsmanship and teamwork in the discharge of their responsibilities.
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‎At the finals of the football competition, the Customs Police Command carried the day by defeating the MMIA side by a 1-0.
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‎The event featured march past and parade by all Commands under Zone ‘A’ as well as beautiful display by Customs expert riders.
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Maritime Agencies

Parts Central Ltd Set To Turn Waterway Waste into Wealth, says Onifade.

Published

4 days ago

September 4, 2026

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Mr Henry Olaoluwa Onifade

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‎By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
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‎The growing volume of plastic waste, water hyacinth and other marine litter clogging Nigeria’s inland waterways can be turned into economic wealth through recycling, biofuels and other value-added processes.
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‎Mr Henry Olaoluwa Onifade, Managing Director, Parts Central Limited stated this in Lagos during activities marking his birthday. He also provided updates on his company’s recently launched nationwide waterways clean-up initiative in partnership with the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA).
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‎“We don’t have waste anymore; waste is now wealth,” he declared. The collaboration with NIWA, Onifade stated, is an initiative designed not merely to remove waste from Nigeria’s waterways but to develop sustainable systems for converting recovered materials into useful products.
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‎He explained that biodegradable materials collected during the clean-up would not simply be discarded. They could be processed for various applications, including biofuels and other products.
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‎According to him, the company is also examining technologies for sorting and processing plastic waste for recycling, stressing that the objective is to create an economically viable circular economy around Nigeria’s waterways.
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‎Onifade said the growing interest from government agencies, ministries, associations and other stakeholders in cleaner waterways was an indication that the initiative was addressing a critical national challenge.
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‎He noted that the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) was also engaging stakeholders on reducing plastic pollution in waterways.
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‎“We are happy that we can even think of a possible pollution-free waterways and roll it out. Since we rolled it out, we’ve heard of different people, associations, organisations and states that are now talking about it, which is very good for us,” he said.
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‎“Our goal is for us to have pollution-free waterways. By God’s grace, we will integrate everybody who has a very good and genuine mindset that pollution-free waterways is possible in Nigeria.”
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‎Onifade disclosed that Parts Central was developing a technology-driven database covering ports, jetties, landing sites, riverbanks, dockyards and other locations connected to Nigeria’s inland waterways.
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‎He said the database would enable the company and relevant government stakeholders to determine the volume of waste generated across different locations and deploy resources more effectively.
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‎Every jetty and landing port would be assessed to determine whether appropriate waste-management facilities were available, while boats and other watercraft would also be incorporated into the data-gathering process.
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‎“It’s not for us to have the data, because if you don’t have data of the people you want to cater for, you don’t know how to cater for them,” he declared.
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‎Onifade explained that Parts Central had spent considerable time testing different technologies and devices capable of tackling waterway pollution, adding that the exercise would eventually incorporate manufacturers and other stakeholders within the plastics and waste-management value chain.
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‎Parts Central, he disclosed, was preparing to extend the clean-up campaign beyond Lagos, with plans to flag off the waterways clean-up exercise in Port Harcourt and Imo State as part of its broader expansion across the country.
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‎Onifade said the company was currently putting structures in place to ensure that the initiative was properly coordinated and supported by data before expanding to additional locations to create a nationwide system where waterways would not only be cleaner but would also become sources of employment, enterprise and wealth creation.
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‎“Our goal is for us to have pollution-free waterways,” he reiterated, adding that the company would continue to work with government agencies, communities, private-sector operators and other stakeholders towards achieving the objective.
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‎Onifade also defended his transition from partisan politics to business, saying the experience gained in politics had strengthened his understanding of public needs, motivating him to pursue practical solutions through enterprise.
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‎“I took my own to the other side. I took it from politics to business,” he said.
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‎He urged Nigerians to embrace the concept of converting environmental challenges into economic opportunities.
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‎ “No more waste on the waterways; we will now have wealth on the waterways.”
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Maritime Agencies

Oyetola Transfers Inland Dry Ports to NPA, Sets Up Committee for NSC–NPERA Transition.

Published

5 days ago

September 3, 2026

Admin

H.E. Adegboyega Oyetola, Minister of Marine and Blue Economy.

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‎By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
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‎In a move aimed at creating a clear separation between port economic regulation, development and operations, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, has directed the transfer of the inland dry port (IDP) functions of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) to the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).
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‎The Minister has also directed the immediate constitution of a ministerial committee to oversee the transition of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council into the newly established Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency (NPERA), following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s assent to the NPERA Act, 2026.
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‎According to a statement issued in Abuja Thursday by Dr Bolaji Akinola, the Minister’s Special Adviser, the directives are part of measures to establish a clear institutional framework for the new port economic regulatory regime to eliminate overlapping responsibilities and ensure that agencies under the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy operate within clearly defined mandates.
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‎The NPERA Act, signed by President Tinubu in August, formally establishes a substantive economic regulator for Nigeria’s port sector, bringing to an end a two-decade wait for a dedicated statutory port economic regulator.
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‎With the enactment of the law, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, which had operated as the country’s interim port economic regulator since 2014, transmutes into NPERA.
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‎Under the new framework, NPERA is expected to focus primarily on its core economic regulatory responsibilities, including the regulation of tariffs and charges, promotion of competition, licensing, service standards, commercial dispute resolution and protection of port users.
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‎Oyetola said the transition from NSC to NPERA provides an opportunity to establish a regulatory institution that is clearly separated from operational, developmental and promotional responsibilities.
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‎“We must get the transition right. The establishment of NPERA is a landmark reform, and the process of moving from the Nigerian Shippers’ Council to the Nigeria Ports Economic Regulatory Agency must be carefully managed. The ministerial committee will provide the necessary oversight to ensure that the transition is seamless and that every function is domiciled in the appropriate institution,” he said.
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‎The Minister stressed that the credibility and effectiveness of an economic regulator depend, in part, on its ability to function as an impartial referee without being encumbered by responsibilities that could create actual or perceived conflicts of interest.
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‎According to him, the Federal Government’s objective is to ensure that NPERA is allowed to concentrate fully on its statutory regulatory mandate, while functions that are operational, developmental or promotional in nature are transferred to agencies with the appropriate mandates and institutional capacity.
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‎“The emergence of NPERA marks a new chapter in the governance of Nigeria’s port sector. It is therefore important that the new economic regulator is freed from functions that are not compatible with economic regulation. A regulator cannot function as an operator and, at the same time, be expected to be perceived as an unbiased referee,” Oyetola said.
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‎He added that a clear separation of responsibilities would strengthen confidence in the regulatory framework, enhance transparency and create a more predictable operating environment for port users, investors, terminal operators, shipping companies and other stakeholders.
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‎The Minister assured stakeholders that the transfer should not be interpreted as a reduction in the Federal Government’s commitment to the development of inland dry ports across the country. Rather, he said, the objective is to strengthen the IDP programme by placing its promotion within an institution better positioned to integrate the facilities into the nation’s wider port infrastructure and operational network.
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‎“We are committed to strengthening the development of the Inland Dry Ports by placing their promotion within the agency with the appropriate operational and infrastructure mandate. The ultimate objective is to create a more efficient and integrated port system that serves the entire country,” Oyetola added.
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