Maritime Police is authorized by law to block, detain suspected containers, we’re not usurpers – AIG

“The NSC and all other maritime operators cannot stop the Police from performing her statutory duties”

By Ezirike Ugochukwu

Following the recent war of attrition going on between the Maritime Police Command Headquarters Lagos in one hand; the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, freight forwarders and others in the other hand, in which they have accused the police of overstepping it’s bound by detaining containers cleared by the Nigerian customs Service, the police has said it acted within the law, and does not need their approvals to investigate crimes.

The Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG), Maritime Police Command, Force Headquarters Annex, Lagos, AIG Susan U. Akem-Horsfall made the clarification on Thursday.

In a release signed by ASP Ehinmode, A. Rowland,
Ag. Police Public Relations Officer,
Maritime Police Command,
FHQ Annex, Lagos made available to Nation Update, said the Nigeria Police Force and all her subsidiary Commands and Formations, of which the Maritime Police Command is inclusive is statutorily empowered to carry out all lawful activities conferred on her by the constitution and Nigerian Police Act, National Inland Waterways Authority Acts No. 47 LFN 2004 and other subsisting laws.

The AIG in the release titled: “Our actions are lawful and constitutional at Maritime Police Command, we are not usurper” which was in response to a statement credited to one Mrs Ifeoma Ezedinma, Director Regulatory Services of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council(NSC) who represented the Executive Secretary/CEO, Mr Emmanuel Jime, at an event in Apapa, Lagos on the 23rd of August.

The Shippers Council had stated that the Police does not have the right or authority to detain a cargo cleared by the Customs.

Went further to say that if the police has any intelligence on any cargo, all it needs do is to follow it to the final destination and check it there since it has access everywhere.

Excerpt from the Shipers Council’s position stated, ““the Nigeria Police is overstepping it bounds and the Police does not have the right or authority to detain the cargo the Customs has already cleared, ….Every agencies have their responsibilities cut out for them, so we should interface with one another, harmonise and facilitate trade.”

However, the above stated position of the NSC has not gone down well with the AIG who stood her ground and insisted the message was misleading and far from the truth.

“The Nigeria Police Force is a creation of the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria. Section 214 of the Constitution established this and it conferred powers and duties on the police to wit, protection of life and property, protection of harbour, waterways, railways and the air field among others. Hence, some of the statutory duties of the Police includes prevention and detection of crimes, apprehension of offenders, preservation of law and order, and the due enforcement of all laws and regulations.

“Furthermore, a Police officer is empowered by the Police Act to detain and search any person he reasonably suspects of having in his possession or conveying in any manner, anything he has reason to believe to have been stolen or otherwise unlawfully obtained,” Horsfall said.

The AIG decried as pitiable situation where some unscrupulous persons within the rank of the aforementioned agencies working hand-in-globe with criminal elements and fraudulent syndicates to cripple the economy through corrupt practices and underhand dealings.

Saying the command will continue to work in synergy and collaboration with other sister agencies, even as it will never accommodate nefarious and villainous publications, aimed at rubbishing the efforts of the Command in order to discourage them from dealing with the malaise.

She went on, “There is the need to make things clear here that there are double-dealings going on at the Port which some staff of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council and other regulatory agencies at the ports are aware of and does not want the police to unravel.

Horsfall disclosed that the controversy surrounding the recently intercepted one 40 feet container where the declaration paper at the port stated the content of the container was
two used Toyota Hi-ace Buses, six hundred and fifty (650) used vehicle spare parts and engine.

The intercepted container

The container she said when intercepted and opened by men of the Maritime Police Command at the Command’s Headquarters
on the 18th August, 2023 discovered the container was
carrying mayonnaise, Persian rugs amongst other concealed items.

“The command will give full attention to her duties that are incumbent on it by the laws of the land, especially as it relates to the nation’s maritime domain. The Command will continue to work in synergy and collaboration with sister agencies and all operators within the sector to enhance government policy on ease of doing business.

“Lastly, the AIG has emphatically stated that, the Command under her watch will not relent in fighting crimes being perpetuated at the port and every attempt at maligning personnel of the command through various false publications will not deter or hinder them from performing their constitutionally approved duties,” the AIG concluded.