Port Offices of Security Agents face imminent collapse

Tayo Oladipupo |

Officers and men of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), Police Anti Bomb Squad and Nigerian Port Health in Lagos seaport now work under imminent danger as the blocks housing their offices are likely to collapse any moment.

A visit by our correspondent revealed that some of the buildings are so ramshackled that the officers have to improvise by using woods to support a falling ceiling.

This has created panics among the officers who have no choice of where to use as alternative offices.

Considering the nature of their jobs, the officers have to obey the last order by their superior officers hence they are compelled to use the life-threatening buildings.

Our correspondent observed last week that a section of the ceilings of the facilities located at the Bull Nose end of the Lagos Port Complex (LPC) have collapsed as some of the officers have employed the services of carpenters to wedge the ceiling of one the buildings from collapsing on their heads.

Specifically, the ceilings of the Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD), and the Commissioner of Port Police Monitoring Unit departments, already have been abandoned, as some officers are afraid for their lives.

It was also gathered that personal funds have been committed by officials of these agencies in fixing some of the failed structures but not enough to stem the decay.

At the Immigration wooden offices, some sections of the cracked walls are threatening go down any moment, even as the electricity sockets are exposed without any form of protection.

While officials at the poorly structured accommodation declined to respond to questions from our correspondent on the looming danger ahead, it was gathered that series of letters had been written to both management of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Port Authority Police Commissioner in charge of Western Ports, Hadiza Bala Usman and Mohammed Kura respectively, without any positive response.

Sources however, disclosed that the current situation of accommodation for officials at the Lagos Port Complex can best be described as an eyesore to the international community, considering the peculiar duties of the Immigration officials.

“The situation has lingered for a while and that is why the morals of the officers are indeed very low.

“They don’t have anything to say because already letters have been written to the NPA but it appears the Authority does not understand the gravity of what is at stake at the port.

When contacted, the General Manager, Public Affairs of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Jatto said that the Authority was set to commence work on the said infrastructure.

He stated that NPA is a responsible organisation that will never endanger the life of anyone.