NPA burnt HQ: MD, Board Chairman differ on loses, implications

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

The recent looting and burning of the corporate headquarters of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) in Lagos, alleged to have been carried out by hoodlums that hijacked the #EndSars protest has continued to stir up divergent positions between its Managing Director, Hadiza Bala-Usman and the Board Chairman, Chief Akin Ricketts.

Hadiza and  Ricketts are taking divergent positions on how the burning of the part of the NPA headquarters and destruction of its facilities at the Tin Can Island Port would effect the operations of the Ports Authority and the port economy in general and its implications.

Contrary to the earlier  position of the board Chairman, the Managing Director, Hadiza in her first public appearance on Sunday 1st of November since after the incident on October, 21, said, “The situation has not affected operations of the authority in any way as we have continued to render our services unhindered.”

Chief Rickets had earlier said that the attack on the NPA House and its facilities in Tin Can Island Port, could disrupt the Ports Authority’s operations and that of the entire port economy.

Nation Update gathers that though the MD’s belated assurances has doused the fears of possible disruptions of ports activities, it has also to a reasonable extent challenged the audacity of the Board chairman to speak on the matter before the managing director, not withstanding her sudden disappearance in almost two weeks since the  attack took place.

Analysts say the Hadiza’s clarifications have also raised other fundamental issues, such as who carried out the attack, as she had reportedly linked the attack to both unknown persons and hoodlums.

A statement that has lent credence to allegations that the arson may have been an insider’s job, presumably undertaken to conveniently pass the blame on the hoodlums that went on a destruction and looting spree during the EndSARS protests by Nigerian youths.

Engr Jatto

However, Engr. Adams Jatto, Manager Corporate and Strategic Communications of NPA  had in a statement blamed the attacks on the NPA’s Tin Can Island facilities  and the NPA House on unknown persons and hoodlums.

The MD’s position has confused observers as the Lagos State Police Command had last week announced that a large number of the hoodlums who perpetrated the acts of arson and looting during the protests, have been arrested and charged to court.

Stakholders are afraid that the opposing views and assessment of the damage done to the authority’s facilities by the managing director and Board chairman could be a pointer to a quaint scheme, a concern that is accentuated by the NPA helmsman’s display of lack of urgency in making a public statement on the incident.

The statement reads in part: “The management of the Nigerian Ports Authority regrets the attack on its 26/28 Marina Road, Lagos, corporate headquarters and the Tin Can Island Port by unknown persons on Wednesday October 21st and Tuesday October 20th, 2020 respectively.

“The attack on the Tin Can Island Port commenced at 9:45am on Tuesday October 20th 2020. The hoodlums made an attempt to forcefully gain access into the port, attacked the administrative building and set ablaze a truck which was evacuating cargo.

“The attackers at the headquarters numbering over 300 persons, gained access into the premises at 8:42am on Wednesday October 21st 2020 from the outer Broad Street wing brandishing daggers, sticks and cutlasses.”

The authority said the attackers disarmed and chased away security personnel on duty out of the headquarters premises, and thereafter, “proceeded to burn and vandalise several vehicles belonging to the authority and some members of staff”, after which a wing of the office building was reportedly set on fire.

“After an assessment of the extent of damage, it was discovered that apart from the annex wing that was burnt, many offices were vandalised, while computers, printers, water dispensers and other electronic devices were looted.

“A total of Twenty-seven (27) vehicles, including cars, utility vehicles, pick up vans and staff buses were set on fire, while Thirty-three (33) other vehicles, twenty-two of which belong to members of staff were vandalised. A Toyota Prado SUV, a Bajaj Motorcycle and one Hilux patrol van were also stolen from the premises.”

The media was recently awashed with reports
that Rickets had stated that the EndSars protest attacks on the authority’s facilities will affect its operations as well as affect ports economic activities.

The Chief was quoted as saying that “while the youths have the rights to protest, it has become obvious that the peaceful protest was hijacked by criminal elements. The destruction of a critical facility such as the NPA building will affect the nation’s economy.

“The NPA belongs to all Nigerians and as an import dependent nation, it is the port that feeds the whole nation. If they start pulling down critical structures of this nature, where do they expect the government to get the funds to meet their demands? he asked.

It is however noteworthy that the Port Authority said that all its assets are comprehensively insured, and informed that “insurers are currently undergoing an assessment of the damages.”