Protesters ground operations in Lagos ports
By Eniola Idris
OPERATIONS at the Apapa and TinCan ports in Lagos were grounded Tuesday as the aggrieved youths barricaded the entrance to the seaports.
The protesters clamouring for an end to police brutality under the #EndSARS campaign blocked the access roads leading into the Lagos ports, the Wharf Road and Creek road, thereby paralysing port activities.
The protesters in conjunction with some truckers to block the road with articulated vehicles, thereby crippling entry and exit operations in and out of the port.
They demanded an improved operating conditions at the ports to allow for easy evacuation of cargoes among others.
The Association of Maritime Truck Owners, Chief Remi Odugbemi, in their 11 point demand made available to SlyNews, said: “The transporters demand from the authorities as conditions to suspend protest include: dissolution of Presidential Task Force; daily passing of export trucks, daily passage of refer containers; dissolve all illegal checkpoints of extortion in Apapa and Tincan Ports,”
Other are: Reduce the number of Custom checkpoints; Customs should leave ports gate and exit trucks from APM Termianls; unconditional release of all trucks seized by Customs; unconditional release of trucks and cargo seized at CMS jetty.
The group also demanded unconditional release of trucks seized by LASTMA and abandoned by team of Lagos State government; improved operational efficiency by APM Terminals; and that all shipping lines must have functional holding bays.
Also speaking , an executive of Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) at Tin Can Chapter confirmed that the strike action would continue until all the anomalies in the clearance procedure are addressed.
“This time around we have woken up, nobody would capture any job or pay duty this week, by the time the government realise that no revenue is coming in, they would come out and address the situation ”
“How can we release a job at the port by a senior officer at the port, and a junior officer of FOU is stopping it at Mile 2”
“The protest is continuing tomorrow, we are moving to Apapa Port, Mile 2 to confront the FOU Officers where they are stationed” he told our correspondent, pleading anonymity.
Earlier, some freight forwarders and truckers were seen dancing and chanting solidarity songs right in front of the nation’s premier port, Apapa port, condemning alleged extortions by Customs officers.
President, National Association Government Approved Freight Forwarders, (NAGAFF), Increase Uche told The Guardian that his members were not involved in the protest, urging the government to meet their demand and restore normalcy to the nation.
The protesters who stormed the Customs office in TinCan ports were displaying placards with inscription such as: “End FOU extortions; Maritime Police blocking our containers; End strike force; End Customs intimidation; among others.
The Customs Area Controller, TinCan Command, Musa Abdullahi directed the protesters to put their complains in writing and send it to Customs.
