Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) have agreed to clamp down on unauthorised checkpoints and roadblocks along the Apapa and Tin Can Island port corridors, marking a significant step toward easing congestion, reducing extortion, and improving cargo movement through Nigeria’s busiest maritime gateways. The resolution was reached at a high-level stakeholder meeting in Lagos on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, which brought together security agencies, freight forwarders, transport unions, and government officials. The agreement, announced in a joint statement on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, establishes a joint task force comprising the Lagos State Government, the NPA, the police, and other relevant stakeholders to ensure seamless operations around the ports.
Speaking after the meeting, the Managing Director of the NPA, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, disclosed that investigations had uncovered illegal extortion points, jurisdictional overlaps among security agencies, and other operational bottlenecks that have long slowed activities along the port access routes. “We have problems along the port corridor in Apapa and Tin Can Island. We have established that there are issues around extortion along the corridor. That is outside the port,” Dantsoho said. He explained that some of the challenges extend beyond the immediate port environment to critical access points such as Berger and Mile 2, which serve as vital links to the port corridors.
A major point of contention identified during the meeting was the jurisdictional overlap between the Maritime Police Command and the Lagos State Police Command. Dantsoho noted that both formations had previously operated in the same areas without clear coordination, leading to confusion, duplication of duties, and opportunities for extortion. However, in a significant breakthrough, both police commands denied authorising the establishment of checkpoints along the port corridors. “The AIG Maritime Police has clearly stated that they do not send anybody to go and form roadblocks or checkpoints on the corridor. Equally, the Lagos Police Command has said the same thing,” Dantsoho said. He described this clarification as a major step toward eliminating delays and unofficial charges imposed on truck operators and cargo owners.
The Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Maritime Command, Okunade Ronke, reiterated that the police had never deployed officers to operate checkpoints around the port environment. “We have never posted officers to any checkpoint around the port environment,” she said, warning that any officer claiming to have been deployed by the Maritime Police or Zone 2 Command to man checkpoints is acting illegally and should be reported. Ronke added that a joint task force would be established to tackle extortion, improve traffic management, and ensure smoother operations along the corridors. She assured stakeholders that any police officer found operating illegally under the guise of representing either the Lagos State Police Command or the Maritime Police would face disciplinary action.
Representatives of freight forwarders and transport operators, including the Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO), welcomed the initiative, describing it as a step toward addressing longstanding complaints of extortion, harassment, and delays in cargo evacuation. Industry stakeholders have long complained that illegal checkpoints and extortion along port access roads contribute significantly to rising logistics costs, delays in cargo evacuation, and reduced competitiveness of Nigerian ports compared to regional counterparts. The NPA boss said the latest initiative aligns with ongoing reforms aimed at positioning Nigeria as a leading maritime and trade hub in West Africa. “Our emphasis will be that we are going to function, and then function better in our practices, so we can do better than our neighbouring countries,” Dantsoho said. He also highlighted recent international recognition of improvements within Nigeria’s port system, noting that the country’s ports had been confirmed as one of the most improved in the world by the World Bank.
The Lagos State Government, represented by the Director of Transport Operations, Olasunkanmi Ojowuro, reaffirmed its commitment to implementing all resolutions reached at the meeting. Ojowuro noted that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu remains passionate about transportation and traffic management under the THEMES Plus Agenda, adding that the state has continued to deploy significant resources to address challenges associated with port operations. Stakeholders also agreed to constitute a broader committee involving government agencies, transport unions, and freight forwarding groups to develop a framework for monitoring compliance and sustaining reforms along the port access roads. For now, the message from the NPA, the police, and the Lagos State Government is clear: illegal checkpoints and roadblocks along the Apapa and Tin Can port corridors will no longer be tolerated, and those found violating the new directives will face the full weight of the law.
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