In anticipation of the coming nationwide protest, Commissioner of Police for the Ports Authority Police (Western) Command, Olanrewaju Olawale Ishola, has taken proactive measures by engaging key maritime stakeholders and security agencies. The aim is to ensure the safety and security of port operations, thereby preventing disruptions and maintaining public order.
The meeting saw the attendance of prominent figures, including Prince Adeyanju Adewale, President General of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), representatives from the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO), Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), and senior officials from the Nigerian Ports Authority.
In an official statement signed by the Command’s spokesman, ASP Isaac Hundeyin, the Police Chief reiterated the Inspector General of Police’s directive that all potential protest organizers within the Ports Authority Police (Western) Command’s jurisdiction must notify the police in writing. The notification according to him should include organizers’ names, phone numbers, addresses, convergence areas, and procession routes. He noted that this measure aims to ensure proper planning, adequate deployment, efficient traffic control, and the identification of potential infiltrators who might seek to hijack peaceful protests.
The stakeholders ‘committed themselves to sharing intelligence and maintaining a cooperative relationship with the Western Ports Police Command. Their collaboration aims to ensure that business activities remain uninterrupted, thereby preventing significant revenue losses for the federal government.
