Steve Agbota
The Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Hadiza Bala Usman, yesterday disclosed that over 300 hoodlums, on Wednesday, October 21, 2020, attacked, vandalised and burnt sections of the agency’s headquarters situated at 26/28, Marina Road in Lagos.
Speaking with newsmen after an on-the-spot assessment of the damage, she disclosed that 27 vehicles parked within the premises of the building were completely razed while 33 vehicles were vandalised.
She added that the value of the damage cannot be ascertained at the moment because insurance companies are still conducting vetting processes on the damages, even as office working equipment such as water dispensers, printers, computers and other electronic devices were looted.
“The management of the NPA regrets the attack on its 26/28 Marina Road, Lagos, corporate headquarters and the Tin-Can Island Port by unknown persons on Wednesday, October 21 and Tuesday, October 20, 2020, respectively. The attack on the Tin-Can Island Port commenced at 9:45 am on Tuesday, October 20, 2020.
“The hoodlums made an attempt to forcefully gain access to the port, attacked the administrative building and set ablaze a truck which was evacuating cargo. It took the combined effort of officers of the port authority police, the police mobile force and the Nigerian Customs Service to repel the attack,” she said.
She hinted that the attackers at the headquarters numbering over 300, gained access to the premises at 8:42 am on Wednesday, October 21, 2020, from the outer Broad Street wing , brandishing daggers, sticks and cutlasses.
“After attacking, disarming and chasing the security personnel on duty out of the headquarters premises, the attackers proceeded to burn and vandalise several vehicles belonging to the Authority and some members of staff. They thereafter set a wing of the office building on fire.
“Upon knowledge of the attack, officers of the Nigerian Armed Forces were invited and deployed to the premises. They successfully dispersed the hoodlums and reclaimed possession of the premises following which the Authority’s firemen were able to gain access to the building and put out the raging fire.”
According to her, after an assessment of the extent of damage, it was discovered that apart from the annexe wing that was burnt, many offices were vandalised, while computers, printers, water dispensers and other electronic devices were looted.
