Security at Nigeria’s maritime gateway received a major boost on Thursday as key stakeholders, including the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN), reaffirmed their commitment to supporting the Ports Authority Police (Western) Command in safeguarding Apapa port.
During a courtesy visit to the Commissioner of Police, Ports Authority Police (Western) Command, CP Ibrahim Balarabe Maikaba, the newly-appointed DSS Director in charge of the Travel and Alien Control Post, Apapa Wharf, Mr. A. Babatunde, emphasized the need for a united security front.
Babatunde noted that collaboration between the DSS and the police was essential to ensuring a secure and peaceful environment at the ports, given their role in trade facilitation and national economic growth.
“The existing synergy between both agencies must be sustained to effectively tackle any security challenges within the port environment,” Babatunde stated, pledging the DSS’s commitment to intelligence-sharing and proactive interventions where necessary.
CP Maikaba, in response, assured the DSS of his full cooperation, describing the two agencies as part of the same security network.
He reiterated that maintaining peace at the port required a seamless exchange of intelligence and coordinated security operations, which he was willing to strengthen under his leadership.
Similarly, during a separate visit, MARAN executives led by the association’s president, Mr. Godfrey Bivbere, pledged continued media support for the Ports Authority Police, acknowledging their pivotal role in securing Nigeria’s largest maritime hub.
Bivbere assured that MARAN would highlight the command’s achievements and security efforts to ensure public confidence in port operations.
In his remarks, CP Maikaba lauded MARAN for its objective and professional reportage, stressing that accurate media coverage plays a key role in shaping public perception and supporting security efforts.
He assured the association of a cordial working relationship, noting that effective communication between security agencies and the media was vital for national security and trade facilitation.
The visits according to the Command’s Spokesman ASP Isaac Hundeyin underscored the importance of inter-agency cooperation and media involvement in enhancing maritime security, with all parties agreeing to work more closely to tackle security concerns at the ports.
