RACKETEERING: Empty Container Theft Scandal Rocks Nigerian Port, As Customs Agent Petitions Nat’l Assembly, Minister Oyetola

—Maersk Shipping Line Accused of Misconduct

There is a serious allegation of empty container theft and diversion going on in the Nigerian ports system, specifically at a licensed bonded terminal namely; Unity Bonded Terminal, a situation which has proven to be beyond the control of port regulatory agencies and have now been escalated to the Senate Committee on Marine Transport, House of Representatives Committee on Shipping, as well as the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola.

Unity Bonded Terminal is an off-dock container terminal located at Amuwo
Odofin Lagos that receives empty containers on behalf of Maersk Nigeria
Limited.

In a petition dated 28th of October 2025 addressed to the the Chairman
Senate Committee on Marine Transport, Chairman House Committee on Shipping, as well as the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, a licensed customs agent, Mr Ben Nwaudo of Prime Agencies Nigeria Limited through its lawyers; Ikechukwu Ukadike of U&A Queen Ukadike & Associates, alleged that empty containers were being stolen and diverted at the Bonded Terminal.

The Customs Licensed Agent was said to have returned four empty containers belonging to Maersk Shipping Line to Unity Bonded Terminal which acts as the receiving authority, but the containers suddenly developed wings.

Meanwhile, Maersk Line, despite finding out the truth about the racket, has continued to hold the customs agent to ransome by blocking his agency from carrying out further business transactions at the shipping company.

The matter was also reportedly brought to the knowledge of the port economic regulator, but no justice has been gotten for the affected customs agent, despite detailed investigations carried out by the Nigerian Police and subsequent arrest of staff of the concerned Bonded Terminal.

In the petition titled “RE:CASE OF FRAUDULENT PRACTICES TO WIT-STEALING AND DIVERSION OF EMPTY CONTAINERS PERPETUATED BY STAFF
AND MANAGEMENT OF UNITY BONDED TERMINAL LAGOS CAPABLE OF UNDERMINING THE TRADE FACILITATION
POLICIES OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN NIGERIAN PORTS
-BILL OF LADING NUMBER 238562473,1X4OFT CONTAINER
NUMBER HASU4880195; signed by the maritime lawyer, Barr Ikechukwu Ukadike, a copy of which was made available to our correspondent, he detailed how his client had cleared four containers from shipping line; Maersk Nigeria Limited and had since returned same, but the shipping company maliciously blocked agency from clearing further cargoes.

According to him “Our services have been retained by PRIME AGENCIES (NIGERIA) LIMITED on whose behalf and instructions we write and alert your esteemed office of the actions of UNITY BONDED TERMINAL Lagos and by extension, MAERSK NIGERIA
LMITED which has caused our client untold hardship and financial losses.

“Sometime in July 2024 our client’s client imported 4 units of 40ft containers into
Nigeria via bill of lading No.238562473.A copy of the bill of lading is attached
herein for your kind attention.

“Our client successfully cleared the 4 containers and returned the empty
containers to Unity Bonded Terminal and the containers were duly received by
Unity Bonded Terminal who issued Equipment Interchange Report (also called
container card) evidencing safe receipt of the empty containers from the
transporter who delivered the empty containers to the terminal.

“On the 14th of September, 2025 our client’s import manager MR.BEN NWAUDO
went to Maersk Nigeria Limited for routine clearing of a different container and
was shocked when he was informed by personnel of Maersk Nigeria Limited that
our client’s agency has been placed on suspension and would not be able to clear
any shipments further from Maersk Nigeria on account of failure to return one of the empty containers out of the 4 listed in the attached bill of lading which is
1x40FT container No.HASU4880195.

“Our client was puzzled as the subject empty container was duly returned to Unity
Bonded Terminal Amuwo Odofin Lagos since the 9th of July,2024.Attached is a
copy of the first Equipment Interchange Report (Container Card) duly issued by
the said Unity Bonded Terminal on the 9th of July,2024 when they received the
empty container into their terminal.

“Surprisingly, Maersk Nigeria Limited maintained that the said container has not
been returned to them even after our client’s MR BEN NWAUDO provided
unassailable evidence of return of the empty container to Unity Bonded
Terminal, which is designated receiver of Maersk’s empty containers.

“Our client proceeded to Unity Bonded Terminal who could not account for the
said empty container even though they did not deny receipt of same into their
terminal on the 9th of July,2024.

“Ordinarily, at this stage the said shipping company, Maersk Nigeria Limited was
obliged to immediately lift the unwarranted suspension placed on our client but
they refused, but rather opted to make our client a scapegoat for a container that
was safely returned to their designated bonded terminal responsible for receiving
empty containers on their behalf”

Barr Ukadike stated further that since the Maersk Line would not lift the suspension placed on the customs agent, the matter was escalated to the Nigerian Police which swiftly swung into action and arrested the culprits who confessed.

He said “As our client’s businesses continue to suffer, our client was constrained to take further steps by petitioning the management and staff of Unity Bonded Terminal to the Nigerian Police Force, Area E Command headquarters, Festac Town
Lagos.

“The Police swung into action and commenced a thorough investigation into the case.The Police invited key staff of Unity Bonded Terminal who inspected the
said empty container when it was received into their terminal and whose names
appear on the Equipment Interchange Report.

“These includes one Sikiru (a
gate-in officer at Unity Bonded Terminal) and one lfunaya (also a gate-in officer
at Unity Bonded Termiinal)
Both admitted to the Police that the container in question was duly received into their terminal.

“The Police also questioned two managers of Unity Bonded terminal namely one
Lawrence Okwudike and one Mary Madubuko who both admitted and
confirmed to the Police that the 2 Equipment Interchange Reports (Container
Cards) evidencing the return of the empty container to their terminal duly
inspected by Sikiru and the second one inspected by Ifunaya originated from
their terminal and the 2 persons motioned in both documents are their staff.

“During Police investigations, Unity Bonded terminal themselves also brought the
two Equipment Interchange Report which was inspected by another staff of theirs
named lfunanya which they printed from their system and handed over to the
Police.

“In the course of police investigation into this case, the lawyer of Unity Bonded
Terminal came to the police and admitted that indeed they have arrested some
of their staff whom they found to have stolen empty containers from their
terminal and one of the empty containers is the subject container herein.

Please find attached a well detailed Police Investigation Report dated 28th of
October, 2025 which made the following key findings:

QUOTE:
1.That the said container was taken to Unity Bonded Terminal for gate-in in
2024
2.That the container in question was gated in by one lfunanya Okonkwo of
Unity Bonded Terminal
3.Prime Agencies Nig.Ltd returned the container as required by the system
governing the movement of empty containers.
4.That Unity Bonded Terminal is to be held responsible for missing of
empty containers
5.That the company Unity Bonded Terminal actually received the container
but wanted to cover up with the story of reporting a case to SCIlB Panti
Lagos.
6.That a serious conspiracy and stealing of empty containers is taking place
at Unity Bonded Terminal.
UNQUOTE.

“The said police investigation report concluded by stating affirmatively that Unity Bonded Terminal is in possession of the subject empty container herein.
As can be seen from the attached documents and the police investigation report, our client has returned the empty container to Unity Bonded Terminal since the 9th of July, 2024 and Maersk Nigeria Limited has unfairly and for no justifiable legal reason placed our client on suspension thereby causing our client estimated loss of earnings of over 50 Million Naira (N50,000000.00) as importers who had given our client documents to clear incoming consignments have started withdrawing the jobs as our client cannot clear any consignment from Maersk Nigerian limited at the moment.

“Furthermore, some of our client’s shipments that are at the high seas at the
moment and shipped through Maersk may end up being trapped in the ports
because of the unwarranted suspension of our client by Maersk Nigerian Limited
thereby contributing to unnecessary congestion at the ports to the detriment of the Nigerian economy

“As police investigations have clearly shown, our client is not in custody or liable
to Maersk Nigeria Limited for the said empty container and same has since been
returned to Unity Bonded Terminal since the 9th of July 2024.

“The overall conduct of Maersk Nigeria Limited by unfairly blocking our client
from its operations and failing to hold Unity Bonded Terminal responsible for its
empty container must be highly deprecated.

“On a final note, We humbly draw your attention to the fact that Maersk Nigeria
Limited has since approved our client’s request for it’s container refund in
respect of container deposit our client paid for the 4 containers.

“It is a well known practise in the industry that shipping companies do not usually refund container deposits when return of any empty container is outstanding.

“When Maersk already know that our client is not in possession of the said empty
container then why have they continued with the unwarranted suspension of our
client. Please find attached Refund Request Approval Notification issued by
Maersk for your kind attention.

“As the continuing punishment Maersk is foisting on our client (even after several
explanations and visits to their office) does not align with Federal Government’s
Policy on Ease of Doing Business in Nigerian Ports, we urge you sir to use your
good offices to direct Maersk Nigeria Limited to immediately lift the suspension
they unfairly placed on our client.

“We thank you Sir and trust that you will take urgent steps to call Maersk Nigeria
Limited to order and save our client’s business with a view to maintaining sanity
and friendly business environment in our ports” the petition read in part.