MWUN Raises Alarm Over Rising Theft on Lagos Port Vessels, Demands Tighter Security

The Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has raised a red flag over the growing wave of theft targeting vessels berthed at the quay aprons of Lagos seaports, warning that the situation poses a serious threat to the safety and reputation of Nigeria’s maritime industry.

The union’s President-General, Comrade Francis Bunu Abi on Wednesday spoke out in a press statement signed by the Head of Media, Comrade John-Kennedy Ikemefuna, following a brazen theft incident aboard the vessel MV ZY JU HE at EKO Support, which occurred at approximately 4:00am on Sunday.

According to the union “Unknown perpetrators broke into the vessel’s AFT store and carted away five tins of paint, while also stealing a crew member’s mobile phone. Investigations revealed that the thieves did not use a ladder to board the vessel, exploiting poor lighting around the paint store area to carry out their operation undetected.

“When the vessel’s alarm was eventually activated, the suspects threw the stolen items overboard and fled the scene on a speedboat”

Comrade Bunu described port security as having become “porous,” saying thieves now access vessels and remove both crew belongings and vessel maintenance materials with alarming ease.

He made a passionate appeal to all security agencies operating within Nigeria’s seaports to step up vigilance and ensure that port premises and quay aprons are adequately secured for daily business operations.

He specifically called on the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigerian Navy to demonstrate greater commitment to protecting lives and property, warning that the ports risk being branded unsafe for business if the situation is not urgently addressed.