LAGOS – Mrs Hilda Ibifuro-Harrison, Commissioner of Police in-charge of the Western Ports Command, [pro_ad_display_adzone id=”8″]on Tuesday urged stakeholders in the maritime industry to support the Police on intelligence gathering, to enhance its operations.
Ibifuro-Harrison made the plea in Lagos during a one-day seminar organised for port police officers with the theme, “Training Positive Attitude into Action’’.
She said that if stakeholders continued their synergy with the port police, it would go a long way in [pro_ad_display_adzone id=”10″]making the port environment more friendly for business.
“We must continue to share information bordering on security at the ports through inter-agency collaboration.
“In sharing information in that regard, there must be mutual interaction at all levels.
“Officers must ensure mutual respect for one another; most especially for the experienced officers who have the skills to improve on the security in the port environment, ‘’ Ibifuro-Harrison said.
She commended the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) for its assistance in training the police officers to improve their attitude to work.
Mr Raphael Oyinloye, the Health Security, Safety and Environment (HSSE) Officer of the ENL Consortium, Apapa, complained that miscreants from neighbouring communities attacked the terminal on daily basis, without restraint.
Oyinloye said the miscreants lived on ship wrecks which littered the waters and used the wrecks as hideouts to attack the terminal.
“This problem does not occur at night only but also during day time. We have been seeing it on daily basis and we have so many wrecks on our waters where miscreants are living.
“They bring their canoe to the port, attack and go back in a jiffy. At night, they move freely without hindrance,’’ he said.
Oyinloye, however, advised the police to work with the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), to remove the wrecks and flush out the miscreants who have made a habit of attacking and stealing from the terminal.
“If you can collaborate with NIMASA to remove the wrecks which host the miscreants, I think that will solve the problem.’’ he said.
On miscreants living on ship wrecks and attacking terminals day and night, Hilda-Ibifuro-Harrison said her command was doing everything within its limits to stop the acts.
“I can see that you are in sympathy with us and you know that we lack the logistics and manpower to cope with the activities of the miscreants but within the limits of our power, my marine officers are doing the much they can do,’’ she said.
Ibifuro-Harrison said she would seek the assistance of other better-equipped government agencies to join in the fight against the miscreants.
“You have introduced us to NIMASA and I will get going. I will meet the director-general and whenever I meet him, I will ask him to help with logistics.
“Certainly, I will synergise with the Navy because they have more sophisticated weapons and equipment.
“Probably, we can do away with those wrecks that have been harbouring the criminals and flush them out, ‘’she said.
The commissioner urged drivers and relevant stakeholders to ensure that containers laden on trucks were properly fastened before leaving the ports’ exit gates.
“I expect that we will no longer have containers that pose dangers to the lives of ordinary Nigerians,’’ she said.
Ibifuro-Harrison said truck drivers should be sensitised on better operations along the ports access roads.
“The attitude of truck drivers gives me nightmares,’’ the commissioner added. (NAN)