A dusk to dawn curfew has been imposed by the Federal Government on ships and all water crafts on Lagos waters in what security forces explained as necessitated by rising security breaches on Lagos waters.
The directive which became effective last week has already started creating difficulties among residents of riverside communities within Lagos territorial waters.
Naval authorities told Shipping Position Weekly last week that even though its personnel we drafted to ensure compliance with the 6pm to 6am curfew it was a directive from the Federal Government, even as it was confirmed that there have been occasions where certain actions of operators of boats, ferries and smaller crafts which are the usual features on Lagos waters have posed security threat.
Effects of the curfew first became noticeable mid- last week when scores of passengers were seen at about seven o’clock in the evening at the popular Liverpool (under bridge) waiting for non-existing boats and ferries. These passengers often take boats to villages like Igboalejo, Lado and about 17 villages which dot the shores around the popular Takwa bay around Tin Can Island and the creeks along Lekki and Epe.
Our correspondent confirmed that so far, about 50 boat operators have been arrested for breaking the curfew, while a boat mishap was averted last Thursday when boat passengers who were anxious to beat the curfew almost drowned at Liverpool jetty.
Commanding Officer NNS Beecroft, Commodore OP Ozojiofor told Shipping Position Weekly that the curfew was aimed at checkmating the rising security problems and that the directive was aimed at providing a conducive environment for every one to operate.
According to him, the curfew would be observed for a while adding that it was also aimed at checkmating the operators themselves, “its not every one that would be allowed to put boats on the waters”, he stressed. “It is a directive from the federal government, Navy is only implementing it”, he disclosed.
Meanwhile, residents of the trapped communities are in dilemma as boat operators have refused to leave their jetties in compliance with the directive.
And to give vent to the curfew, the Liverpool unit of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) to which the boat operators belong has already issued a “security alert” in which it warned its members as well as seamen and maritime operators to abide by the curfew.
The security alert which was made available to our correspondent directed that as a result of the curfew, “henceforth, as from 6pm to 6am, no boat should leave or come into Lagos harbour (go to the sea and come to ashore). The union hereby advises all members and all other marine operators to keep to this directive and bear with the Naval authority until the security situation improves on our waterways”.
Efforts by our correspondent to seek reactions from officials of the unit of the MWUN were unsuccessful.
Discussion about this post