Maritime

Wharf Rats Return To Nigerian Ports …Cart Away N500m Cargoes

Published

5 years ago

March 22, 2021

Following the increase in container traffics in the nation’s ports, hoodlums, otherwise known as wharf rats, appear to have returned to Lagos Ports.
Information reaching The Tide shows that suspected hoodlums who specializes in pilfering of goods, stole from export and import cargoes to the tune of N500 million.
Speaking on the activities of the wharf rats at the ports, Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), Hassan Bello, said that the Council was working on Bill of Carriage, in conjunction with the Federal Ministry of Transportation, that would lead to the regulation of haulage business in the country.
According to him, “Exporters must be very careful in the sense that they should know who they entrust their cargo with”.
He called on the exporters to sign a contract with the body to secure their goods
“They should have a contract with us. I know that access to the port has become a problem, which we hope to end around March this year”, he said.
Bello noted that after concession of the nation’s seaports in 2006, activities of wharf rats were curbed as concessionaires took over security of both import and export cargoes.
He, added, however, that activities of the pilfering syndicates have reached a crescendo, thereby undermining the current efforts of the government to diversify the economy from crude oil.
According to investigation, wharf rats had pilfered export cargo belonging to Global Enterprise. The export cargo was brought to the Apapa Port but between the time the goods arrived at the port and when it was loaded on board the vessel, a sizeable quantity had been stolen.
A second consignment of four units of 20 feet containers of Sesame Seed that was to be shipped to Dubai was also pilfered from a warehouse around Coconut area of Lagos.
Investigation showed that the exporter lost about N12.04 million of the N42.6 million worth of consignments as 430 out of the 1,520 bags got missing. Each bag is worth N28,000.
Bello said the latest was the stealing of a 40-foot container of cocoa meant for export to the United States of America.
Investigation also revealed that in 2020, the activities of wharf rats caused exporters a loss of about N55 million.

By: Chinedu Wosu

Maritime

NIMASA GETS NEW MARITIME GUARD COMMANDER,ADOKI

Published

1 day ago

February 23, 2026

The Tide

The Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas has approved the appointment of Commodore Reginald Odeodi Adoki as the Commander of the Maritime Guard Command at the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).

Commodore Adoki takes over from Commodore H.C Oriekeze who has been redeployed.

Commodore Adoki, a principal Warfare Officer specializing in communication and intelligence brings onboard 25 years experience in the Nigerian Navy covering training, staff and operations. As a seaman, he has commanded NNS Andoni, NNS Kyanwa and NNS Kada. It was under his command that NNS Kada under took her maiden voyage, sailing from the country of build (the United Arab Emirates) into Nigeria.

He was commissioned into the Nigerian Navy in 2000 with a BSc in Mathematics.

He has since earned a Masters in International Law and Diplomacy from the University of Lagos and an M.Sc in Terrorism, Security and Policing at University of Leicester, England.

He is currently pursuing a Ph.D in Defence and Security Studies at the National Defence Academy (NDA).

He is a highly decorated officer with several medals for distinguished service.

Welcoming the new MGC Commander to the Agency, the Director General, Dr Dayo Mobereola expressed confidence in Adoki’s addition to the team emphasising that it will further strengthen the nation’s maritime security architecture given his vast experience in the industry.

The Maritime Guard Command domiciled in NIMASA was established as part of the resolutions of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Nigerian Navy to assist NIMASA strengthen operational efficiency in Nigeria’s territorial waters especially through enforcement of security, safety and other maritime regulations.

Ghana Custom Impounds 12 Trucks At Tema Port, Prevents GHS85MILLIIN Loss In Revenue

By: Nkpemenyie mcdominic, Lagos

The Ghana Revenue Authority’s (GRA) Customs Division said it conducted an overnight operation from 10:00 p.m. Wednesday to 5:00 a.m. Thursday along the Dawhenya-Tema Road, seizing 12 of 18 articulated trucks declared as transit goods from Akanu to Niger via Kulungugu.

The trucks carried 44,055 packages of edible cooking oil, tomato paste, and spaghetti but violated procedures by lacking mandatory human escorts.

All 18 had been electronically gated out of the port system, raising suspicions of a breach.

The operation Led by the Deputy Commissioner for Operations with support from Tema Collection officers, National Security’s Revenue Mobilisation Taskforce, and GRA Headquarters, said the effort secured 11 trucks at the GPHA Transit Terminal; one faulty truck had its cargo transferred.

Investigations continue for the six missing trucks and potential collusion.

Tax risk was valued at over GHS85 million, with an initial assessment of GHS2.6 million.

Deputy Finance Minister, Thomas Nyarko Ampem praised the GRA for protecting revenue and curbing leakages.

By: Nkpemenyie mcdominic, Lagos

Maritime

NIWA Collaborates ICPC TO Strengthen Integrity, Revenue

Published

1 day ago

February 23, 2026

The Tide

The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has formed a strategic partnership with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to overhaul it’s operational transparency and maximize revenue collection.

The Acting Managing Director, Umar Yusuf Girei, who announced this at a post event press conference at NIWA Headquarters Lokoja, said the organization recently convened a two day Executive and Anti-Corruption training themed “Strengthening Integrity and Revenue System in Inland Waterways Management”

He said discussions with the Commission aims to explore measures for strengthening integrity and curbing corruption within its operations.

The training brought together Board members, Management and Area Managers alongside the 2026 NIWA Management Retreat in Abuja.

Girei said the initiative forms part of new strategies aimed at improving its operational system and enhancing collaboration with key stakeholders as part of efforts to boost efficiency and accountability.

He noted as part of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, with the support of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, the Authority is focused on aligning institutional goals in ensuring better service delivery to Nigerians.

Girei therefore, assured staff that the ongoing reforms under his watch would translate into improved service and better working conditions.

“NIWA remains committed to continuous improvement and stakeholder engagement and the reforms are expected to enhance both internal performance and public confidence”, he stated.

By: Nkpemenyie mcdominic, Lagos

Maritime

Nigeria To Pilot Regional Fishing Vessels Register In Gulf Of Guinea —Oyetola

Published

1 day ago

February 23, 2026

The Tide

Nigeria has agreed to serve as the pilot country for the formal implementation of the Regional Record of Authorised Fishing Vessels in West Africa, a move the government says reflects its belief that credible leadership must be matched by practical action to combat illegal fishing and strengthen marine governance across the Gulf of Guinea.

The commitment was announced by the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy and Chairman of the Conference of Ministers of the Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC), Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, during a high-level meeting with the organisation’s Secretary-General and secretariat staff in Abuja.

He said Nigeria’s decision to host the pilot phase of the Regional Record of Authorised Fishing Vessels demonstrates its resolve to translate regional leadership into measurable outcomes for sustainable fisheries management.

The proposed Regional Record of Authorised Fishing Vessels will create a verified database of industrial fishing vessels authorised to operate within the maritime zones of FCWC member states, covering both foreign and national fleets.

The system is designed to improve transparency, accountability and cross-border cooperation in a region heavily affected by illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.

The initiative builds on a roadmap endorsed by member states and reaffirmed in the Monrovia Declaration, which set out steps for establishing the register as a shared governance tool across West Central Africa.

Oyetola said Nigeria expected the pilot phase to test feasibility, identify operational gaps and generate practical lessons for broader regional rollout.

He pledged that Nigeria would use its experience to guide and support other member states once implementation expands, stressing that collective action was essential to protect fisheries resources and livelihoods in the Gulf of Guinea.

“The project is envisaged as a formalised and validated regional database containing comprehensive and reliable information on fishing vessels authorised to operate within the maritime jurisdictions of FCWC Member States.

This initiative represents a major step forward in strengthening transparency, accountability and cooperation in fisheries governance across our shared waters,” he said.

The minister also highlighted complementary regional efforts, including joint patrols and enforcement initiatives under the West Africa Sustainable Ocean Programme, implemented by the FCWC in partnership with the European Fisheries Control Agency, to deter illegal fishing. Dr. Oyetola also disclosed that Nigeria’s draft National Plan of Action on illegal fishing was being reviewed and updated following the transfer of fisheries oversight to the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, underscoring the country’s determination to address illicit fishing activities.

He proposed deeper institutional engagement with the FCWC, including a high-level Nigerian mission to the organisation’s secretariat and regional monitoring centre, as well as collaboration on harmonising food safety and fisheries regulatory standards across member states to boost trade and consumer protection.

Reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to regional cooperation, Dr. Oyetola said his tenure as Chairman of the FCWC Conference of Ministers would focus on practical outcomes, stronger institutions and sustainable use of ocean resources.

He thanked the FCWC member states for their continued partnership, describing the pilot vessel register as a defining step towards transparent and accountable fisheries governance in West Africa.

Speaking earlier, the FCWC Secretary-General, Antoine Gaston Djihinto, commended the Minister for his commitment to addressing illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, and also for boosting fish production in the country. He also thanked the Ministry for hosting an “outstanding and highly commendable”

FCWC Conference in Lagos in November 2025. The Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC) is an intergovernmental organisation established in 2007 to facilitate regional cooperation in fisheries management among its six member states: Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, and Togo.

Headquartered in Tema, Ghana, the FCWC works to ensure the sustainable development and optimal use of shared marine resources while aggressively combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing in the sub-region. Its core activities include harmonising fisheries legislation, enhancing monitoring and surveillance, and promoting the growth of a sustainable blue economy to support the livelihoods of small-scale fishers in the sub-region.

By: Nkpemenyie mcdominic, Lagos