Truckers Commend NPA for Tackling Port Access Extortion, Security Threats, Calls for Continued Vigilance
By DAPO OLAWUNI
The Chairman of the Lagos State Truck and Cargo Operators Committee (LASTCOC), Alhaji Lukman Shittu Zangalo, has expressed appreciation for the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) in its efforts to restore order to the port trucking business.
Shittu, who also serves as the Lagos State Chairman of the Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO), commended the NPA for tackling challenges such as extortion and security threats from hoodlums, which have long troubled truckers moving cargo from Nigerian ports.
While applauding the NPA’s achievements, Shittu urged that these improvements be sustained.
He highlighted that extortion on port access roads has a broader impact, contributing to price inflation that affects everyday Nigerians as additional costs are ultimately passed onto consumers.
“Previously, we were struggling with the activities of hoodlums and various challenges on port access roads, but the NPA has now brought sanity to the situation,” Shittu stated.
He called on the NPA to maintain this progress and directed attention to growing congestion at Apapa Port.
Responding to reports that NPA, through the Truck Transit Park (TTP), had halted the inflow and outflow of trucks into Apapa, Shittu clarified that regular port activities are ongoing.
However, he raised concerns about the formation of an extortion network at the Eleganza Junction near Apapa, where individuals have turned traffic control into a money-making scheme.
“Trucks are moving in and out of Apapa, but we need more effective monitoring at Eleganza Junction, where traffic control has become a cash-driven operation. Those managing truck release at this point prioritize the highest bidders, allowing them to cut in line,” Shittu noted.
He stressed the importance of having trucker representatives stationed at Eleganza Junction to monitor operations and ensure fair practices.