Security hold ups at Lagos

Following the discovery in October of an arms cache smuggled in to the country in 13 containers, the Nigeria Customs Service’s Joint Task Force is insistent on examining 100% of the cargo: however, there is a lack of space at the scanning site.

It now takes two weeks to clear a container through the examination process according to a report in the Nigerian ‘Compass’, and this week saw over 12,000 containers yet to be positioned for examination.

However, according to some the approach is heavy handed and inefficient.

Sam Elem of Okpoto Logistics said, “At the Apapa Port for instance, there are anti-bomb squad, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), National Environmental Standards Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) and over 12 other agencies.”

“It is clear that stakeholders are not talking to each other,” says Michael Ivenso of the Trident Group, adding that someone needs to take the lead in addressing the chaos. “A cargo inspection approach that incorporates ‘Risk-Based Targeting’ and commercial maritime intelligence will alleviate this perennial problem,” he says. “The physical presence of multiple government and security agencies at the port is needless and unproductive.”

However, Koen De Backker of APM Terminals, the operator of the Apapa facility, says, “The recently imposed rule to inspect 100% of the containers discharged and released from Apapa, is heavy and cumbersome, but APMT and customs are working together to see how best processes can be redesigned and streamlined.”

He adds that the yard expansion program is going on as scheduled, and this will finish by the end of February, helping with congestion at the port.