Maritime Police Blockage Raises Port Costs, Delays — ANLCA Chairman

The Executive Chairman of the Apapa chapter of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Chief Emeka Chukwumalu, has criticized the Maritime Police for blocking already cleared cargo, saying the practice increases costs and causes delays in Nigerian ports.

In an interview with People’s Forum News , Chukwumalu stressed that the Maritime Police are mandated to secure waterways and ports, not to interfere in cargo clearance. He noted that the Port Police, DSS, Anti-Bomb Squad, and other agencies already participate in cargo examinations, making Maritime Police involvement unnecessary.

According to him, if the Maritime Police require information on any cargo, they should liaise with the Port Police Commissioner or formally request inclusion in Customs’ examination process. Chasing containers that have already been cleared, he warned, sets a dangerous precedent for other agencies.

Chukwumalu lamented that while Customs is working to reduce clearance time to 48 hours, Maritime Police actions are adding days or even weeks, further inflating costs in what he described as the most expensive port system in West and Central Africa.

On the ETO Call-up system, the ANLCA Chairman acknowledged that the ETO Call-up system has helped ease traffic congestion around port corridors. However, he alleged that racketeers have undermined its effectiveness by acquiring call-ups through shady deals.

He urged the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to strengthen oversight and called on the Truck Transit Park (TTP) to enforce stricter issuance protocols to restore credibility to the system.