Breaking News: Gunshots Fired As Truck Drivers, Navy Clash at Apapa Port

Truck drivers are currently protesting at the Lagos port complex Apapa over alleged extortion by officers of Nigeria Navy and the Nigeria Police, even as one drivers has been shot in the ongoing battle.

Already, business activities at port has been paralysed as port users were seen running helter skelter for safety.

Eye witnesses told Nigeriamaritime360.com that apart from the extortion, the crisis was fueled as a result of serial corporate punishments metted out by naval officers on the truck drivers who are not willing to part with money.

As at the time of filing this report, an eye witness at the scene of the pandemonium told our correspondent that a combined team of military men, (OP MESA) have been drafted to the gate of Lagos port complex Apapa where the battle is fierce.

According to the eye witness account, “Truck drivers are agitating that navy should go back to there barracks they don’t need them to load cargoes from the port”

“One person was shot during the fracas” she said

When contacted, Chairman of Dry Cargo Section of National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) Alhaji Innua Mohammed told our correspondent that the association has been appealing to the truck drivers for calm.

“Apart from the extortion, the corporal punishment and oppression is unbearable, coupled with the damaging of our trucks by the Navy, I believe the drivers protesting are at the receiving end”

“We have been trying to plead with them to be calm because, already, we have registered our complaints with the government and there are some measures that is being taken”

“We have been telling them to be patient, but some of them have been there for so long and tensions are high”

“The government has to look into this issue with the Navy, if we are having so much pirate attacks on our waterways, the Navy should be on that axis, but they are here on the hinterland” Innua stated.