Shippers Council Conniving with Maritime Police to Extort Importers, Agents, ANLCA Raises Alarm
Barr Pius Ukeyima Akutah
By DAPO OLAWUNI
The Nigerian Shippers Council is in the eye of the storm as licensed customs agents have accused the regulatory agency of conniving with the Maritime Police Command in Kam-Salem House Obalende Lagos to extort importers and clearing agents through random interception of cargoes for pecuniary gains.
According to the clearing agents, after containers are examined by the Customs officers and other relevant agencies inside the port, including a division of the Police, the Maritime Police would still go ahead to flag the container with the help of the Nigerian Shippers Council.
They alleged that whenever the affected clearing agents visit the Police, they are made to part with substantial amount of money as bribes. They also alleged that no tangible exhibit is usually detected in such consignments.
Speaking at the 10th Annual Seminar for Maritime Journalists in Lagos on Wednesday, Senior Special Adviser to the National President of Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) Alhaji Ayokunle Sulaiman bemoan the unholy alliance between the Shippers Council and the Maritime Police.
Speaking, Sulaiman said “We have an unhealthy collaboration between Nigerian Shippers Council and Maritime Police. If you have a vessel of 1,000 containers, about 200 of them would go through Shippers Council and Maritime Police interceptions, thereby taking the importer a minimum of four days of demurrage.
“This four days delay cost us not less than N100million and the total cost goes back to the masses”
Corroborating this position, former Acting President of ANLCA, Dr Kayode Farinto stated that the Police are supposed to have an observer status in cargo clearance, but they have gradually turned themselves into an revenue generation agency at the port.
“The Port Police has an observer status on examination of cargoes, but here we are now, about three percent of cargoes is being stopped by Police, and when you get to their office, it is of no reason but for extortion” Farinto stated
One of the victims of the ongoing extortion, Mr Charles Ubah in a chat with our correspondent last weekend wondered why the Shippers Council is helping the police in the ongoing illegality.
“The Police are now blocking containers through the Shippers Council, they get the reference number of the container, transmit to Shippers Council who now transmit it to the terminal operators., this is not a good thing.
“The Shippers Council are supposed to protect the interest of Shippers and stakeholders, but now, they are helping Police to extort us.
“Depending on your bargaining power and what your container is carrying, they collect money to the tune of N150,000 to N300,000. The police is part of examination process at the port, but when they want to extort you they would say that they detect economic sabotage and concealment. However, the moment you part with money, the concealment and economic sabotage disappears ” Ubah stated.
I have observed that ANCLA loves tarnishing the image of Nigerian Shippers’ Council. What do they stand to gain by doing this? Why didn’t you tell the world that before now you had a meeting with Shippers’s Council and they promised to hold another meeting with you people, the Maritime Police, Terminal Operators etc? The meeting is scheduled for 19th December at Council’s Conference hall and you are all aware. You’re not being fair to this organization and you know it. There is God o. When they solve your problems nor you connive with the police and pay them for a cover up, nobody hears about it. Please leave them alone.