Following a security alert issued by the United States Embassy that members of the dreaded Boko Haram terrorist sect are planning an attack on the port, there has been an unusual increase in the level of security checks at all access to the ports.
This is even as the PTML Terminals has banned clearing agents and freight forwarders from seating idle within its terminal.
Following a security alert issued by the United States Embassy that members of the dreaded Boko Haram terrorist sect are planning an attack on the port, there has been an unusual increase in the level of security checks at all access to the ports.
This is even as the PTML Terminals has banned clearing agents and freight forwarders from seating idle within its terminal.
Shipping Position Daily correspondent had noticed last week that long queue of clearing agents has resurfaced at the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) gate where thorough checks were conducted before access is granted to the port.
Shipping Position Daily confirmed yesterday that the latest security checks were as a result of the new security alert that the United States of America issued in which it raised an alarm of a possible attack by Boko Haram sect on Lagos ports.
A copy of the security alert which was sighted by our correspondent, was signed by Assistant Comptroller General of Customs in charge of Enforcement and Intelligence; Mr. Dan Ugo on behalf of the Comptroller General, Col. Hameed Ali (Rtd)
The security alert stated in part that: "the office of the National Security Adviser has forwarded an intelligent report with the picture of a suspected Boko Haram terrorist on the above subject matter (Suicide Bomber at US embassy)
"The letter of information and the picture are hereby attached for your guidance. You are requested to give the picture and information wide circulation"
"You are also to remain vigilant, alert and arrest the suspect and his accomplices anywhere you locate them" the Customs headquarters told its officers.
Meanwhile, the PTML Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has vowed to implement the instruction to the letter, by ensuring that only clearing agents with genuine business are allowed into its premises.
Some of the clearing agents and freight forwarders lamented to our correspondent that the Terminal Operators and the Customs have decided to plant flowers on the spaces where agents usually use as seats and to idle within the terminal.
Spokesman for the Command; Steve Okonma in a chat with Shipping Position Daily yesterday said that it is not the customs that has planted the flowers to beautify the terminals or to chase out the freight forwarders.
"We are not the owners of the terminal, it belongs to PTML based on Build Operate and Transfer (BOT), if the terminals have decided they want to plant flowers, who are we to say No"
"The CEMA has stated it that one of the prerequisite for you to be a licensed agent is for you to have an office, so we don't want them here, my CAC have been fighting for PTML to give the agents a place to be staying, but the NPA have not approved it"
"They have shown us the design of the place, so if they now come up to say they want to plant flowers to beatify their place, we cannot stop them, even if they plant flowers, what is wrong with it?"
Okonma said that the terminal had notified the agents of the security alert at the port and that the customs have decided to fortify its gate.
"Why we decided to fortify our gates was because somebody came here, and before we could say 'jack' he almost rushed into the CAC's office before the officers bundled him to enforcement, who knows if he was sent? If you want to enter our gate, let us know" Okonma stated.
On his part, Chairman PTML Chairman of NAGAFF, Chief Goodluck Onuji told our correspondent that the decision to send all agents out of the PTML Terminal is acceptable by his association.
He argued that it is wrong for anyone to wake up and come to the port to loiter around.
"It is for the benefit of everybody, the terminal is just trying to beef up its security, the customs gave us photocopies of pictures of a suspected Boko Haram member, I guess this was the reason for the checks"
"Again, it is wrong for people to believe they just want to go and seat down inside the terminal when they don't have anything doing there." he said.
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