| Policing the ports is a big challenge
By TOKUNBO OLOKE
Thursday,
March 29, 2007
 |
Vincent
Ojo, port police commissioner
Photo: Sun News Publishing |
|
The Nigerian police is to
ensure protection of life and property of the people. While the Nigerian Ports
Authority police, equally protects port users as well as creates conducive environment
devoid of rancour and disharmony.
The Commissioner of Police in charge
of the ports, Mr Vincent Ojo, explained the role of the Police after the port
concessioning exercise and their performances so far.
The challenges
The
ports have their security problems which the command has been battling with overtime.
I am sure it is no longer strange to anyone who is familiar with the ports environment.
So, with the handing over of the ports to the private terminal operators, a new
set of security issues cropped up, the first was the need to decongest the terminals
as it is understood that the concessionaires paid for spaces in their various
spheres of operations.
Ports decongestion
During the
ports decongestion, the port police took active part in the movement and provision
of adequate security for the large numbers of overtime containers which ran into
several thousands, from Apapa Port, Tincan Ports, KLT phases 1 and 2 to Ikorodu
terminal in the Western Ports and Portharcourt and Onne in the eastern ports.
I personally escorted 7,000 containers to Ikorodu at night and I did it for a
month, I broke down after the operation. I thank God there was no diversion of
any to any bonded warehouse. There are no overtime cargoes in Warri and Calabar,
in fact, Warri Port is dormant.
Dockworkers’ protest
Just
after the operation to decongest the ports was completed, we were confronted with
another security challenge. It was dockworkers protest and demonstrations. As
a matter of fact, we were not caught unawares as various intelligence reports
had indicated that demonstrations on large scale were being planned. The organisers
of the protest had planned to also follow them with arson and large scale destruction
of installations and government property in the ports. We were able to put adequate
proactive strategies in place to checkmate and combat this menace, which represented
the most serious threat to the reform agenda.
In spite of the mammoth number
of dockworkers who took part in the protest, we were able to mobilize enough forces
to manage the situation so much so that there was no escalation.
Payment
of severance package
When the time came for the payment to the dockworkers,
another security issue came up at the venue of the exercise. For example, in anticipation
of serious security problem that might arise at the NPA recreation centre at Bode
Thomas where dockworkers from Apapa were being paid, I deployed a detachment of
policemen led by the Area Commander to the place. These security arrangements
worked well, because it prevented many potentially explosive situations from occurring
at the venue of the payment.
How we managed the situation
We
adopted a combination of proactive strategies in managing the situation at the
port. We dialogued with the stakeholders, including the union leaders representing
the dockworkers and sometimes dockworkers themselves is an important part of the
preventive measures to avoid escalation of the situation. I have taken other proactive
actions to strengthen security in all the ports. More officers and men were deployed
in areas most prone to volatility. Most times, officers and men are constantly
put on red alert as we understand the implication of work stoppage for a day,
not to talk of whole sale destruction and vandalization of private/government
properties.
On Dangote’s sugar
Let me tell you
that no mobile policemen came from Zone 2 to assist in discharging Dangote’s
sugar, no police will come into the port without informing me. We are not under
Zonal AIG. I report directly to the IG and if you see any mobile police at Dangote
terminal, I deployed them there. The situation of pilfering in the port had been
on before my arrival. As you see me, I don’t take sugar, I take honey because
of my age. I do know that Chairman of Dangote company wrote to IG asking for 30
mobile policemen and the letter came to me. I don’t have to hide anything
with my age and rank.
Re-examination of containers
On
the allegation that my officers used to stop containers already cleared from the
port for another round of examination, I appeal therefore that the general public
should not hesitate to write the number and name of such officers and men whenever
the situation is identified. I have dismissed eight policemen recently and I have
the power to dismiss to the rank of sergeant. When I came to this place, those
who thought NPA used to be what it used to be have all fled the port.
NPA’s
assistance
Following the port concessioning, the NPA has stopped given
us assistance financially, in fact, as a result of this development, our dogs
are dying of hunger, no assistance from anywhere again. |
