Security Lapses: House Committee Blames NIMASA, Navy

Chinazor Megbolu

The House of Representatives, National Assembly report of the add -hoc Committee to determine why the Warri, Port Harcourt, Onne, Calabar and Onitsha Ports complexes are not being put to maximal use has blamed the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the Nigerian Navy (NN) for security lapses.

In their just-concluded findings, the Committee explained that the blame became necessary because the two parties didn’t provide adequate security to vessels and cargoes going to the ports in the area.

According to their 16-page report, “We discovered that NIMASA has failed to provide adequate security to vessels despite collecting 3 percent freight charge from every vessel that enters Nigerian Waters”.

The Committee allegedly pointed out in the report that the Nigerian Navy is collecting $50,000 from every vessel, before escorting it to berth.

The report said: “the Committee equally discovered that the sum of $50,000 is paid to the Nigerian Navy before escorting vessels to its destination”.

However, the Committee further noted they discovered in the course of an investigation that the Security situation along the Eastern shipping corridor (waterways) has become a major challenge to ship owners, shipping labels and port users respectively.

“This is so worrisome that any ship on the route must carry what is termed “war insurance” or “War Risk Surcharge” and additional security.

“The poor security situation prevalent in the Niger Delta area in recent years has spurred International Shipping companies to place high-risk rating when estimating freight charges to transport goods to the Eastern Ports higher than the cost charged for shipments to Lagos,” the report said.

The Committee also frowned at the rate of kidnappings, sea- robberies, and piracy in the Eastern zone.

“This situation has made ships going to the zone to move in convoy and are using private security to avoid attacks.

“The area has been a hotspot for kidnapping, sea-robberies, and piracy.

“The effect of these activities has given rise to high cargo freight charges”.

The difference in container freight from Port of Loading (POL) to Lagos and from Port of Loading to Rivers Ports is approximately $300.00 (Three hundred dollars) per TEU which is about N110, OOO.00 (One hundred and ten thousand naira) difference”.

“Ship Owners, therefore, become very apprehensive when approached by Shippers to hire their vessels to Eastern Ports”.

“Vessels going to the Eastern Ports move in convoy and are alleged to use private security, (which is the responsibility of the Nigerian Navy), Armed Marine Police or the option of the Vessel stopping at Lagos to board armed Guards for the vessel which is not only expensive but time-consuming.

“This perception by ship owners that the area is still insecure and therefore, has continued to utilize the Lagos ports as against other ports in the country,” the report concluded.