• Police Accuse Terminal Operator of Shielding Criminal
For allegedly belonging to a syndicate which masterminded the recent theft of seven containers from the custody of his employers; APM Terminals in Apapa, Lagos, the operations manager of the company (names withheld) has been arrested by the Police.
The manager was arrested even as the Police in Apapa port accused the management of APM Terminal of shielding a wanted man.
The gang was allegedly involved in the mysterious disappearance of the containers one of which reportedly belonged to a spare parts dealer at the popular Ladipo auto parts market in Lagos.
The value of the missing container is put at N52Million and the owner of the container with number MOTU 0528878 with bill of lading number MOLU 45957424 has already taken steps to seek redress.
In fact, the consignee who was identified as Haggai Resources Limited is asking for the refund of N52 Million which he claimed is the market value of the imported used engines and spare parts. They include used engines and spare parts of vehicles like: Nissan Maxima, Nissan Amanda, Toyota Landcruiser Jeep, and Nissan Murano among others.
Our correspondent confirmed last week that the Police in Apapa port is pressing charges of criminal conspiracy against the APM Terminal senior employee who along with others allegedly master minded the illegal transfer of the containers. The police also confirmed the theft was masterminded by a syndicate that is operating within the port and with the knowledge of insiders like APM Terminal and the Shipping agent.
Police reports on the incident roundly accused the foremost terminal operator for shielding wanted persons form investigations. APM Terminal allegedly refused to grant Police request to interrogate its staff who were fingered in the transfer from the Apapa terminal to the bonded terminal belonging to SDV.
Sources hinted that the divisional police officer was so enraged when he discovered that the affected staffs stopped coming to work when they knew that the police was after them.
Shipping Position Weekly also confirmed that the syndicate which was working in concert with the trucking company that normally handle container transfer for SDV; Pika Nig. Ltd was said to have forged company ICD stamp. They also used vehicle with a fake registration number XR406ABJ.
Police sources also told our correspondent that the manager in charge of a truck with registration number XW507GGE as well as the owner of the truck had been arraigned before Chief magistrate court in Apapa.
The source also disclosed that at least six persons, including the operation manager of APM Terminal were kept in Police custody for a long time for further interrogation while investigations continued.
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