Shippers Council warns police over arrest, detention of imports

The Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) has warned police officers to desist from “unwanted arrest and detention” of containers at the nation’s seaports.

The Executive Secretary of NSC, Emmanuel Jime, who drew the attention of the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG Maritime), Yekini Adio Ayoku, to the actions of some policemen posted to the nation’s seaports, said any delay in the movement of goods out of the ports impacts negatively on the nation’s economy.

Jime, while playing host to the AIG in his office in Apapa noted that such delay by the police led to accumulation of demurrage against importers.

He said: “Congestions are in the seaport due to non-release of containers which ought to have been evacuated to make room for incoming cargoes, this has constituted barriers to us running our ports efficiently.”

Responding, the AIG promised that the police would continue to give necessary support to NSC and other shipping industry stakeholders.

He said that what the police were against was proliferation and influx of dangerous cargoes such as arms and ammunition because of their negative impact on the nation’s security.

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