Amiwero Faults Maritime Police Over Container Blockage, Demands Customs Collaboration
By DAPO OLAWUNI
The National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA), led by its President, Lucky Eyis Amiwero, has cautioned the Nigeria Police Maritime Command against the unnecessary blockage of containers at the nation’s ports, insisting that such actions constitute a barrier to trade and inflict economic losses on operators.
The position was reached at a meeting between the council and the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Maritime Command, AIG Nurat Okunade, held at the AIG’s office on August 24, 2026.
According to a release on resolutions of the meeting signed by Odigen Adams on behalf of the council, the meeting agreed that there should not be unnecessary blockage of containers because this causes an impediment to trade which causes economic losses and trade barriers.
The resolution added that where any blockage becomes necessary based on intelligence reports flagging specific containers, the Maritime Police should collaborate with the Nigeria Customs Service, described as the lead agency in port operations, and channel such blockages through Customs in accordance with the law.
The council further stated that the Maritime Police was established to checkmate the activities of sea pirates, stressing that its core function lies within the waterways and not the indiscriminate blocking of containers within the port.
The resolution is coming amid ongoing concerns within the freight forwarding community over multiple agency interference in port operations, with stakeholders repeatedly calling for a streamlining of enforcement roles to reduce delays and clear cargo dwell time at Nigerian ports.
