Maritime workers ground activities over Lagos taskforce harassment

Activities are partially grounded at Nigerian ports nationwide, as key transport workers unions threaten to withdraw their services over alleged harassment, extortion, and abuse of power by the taskforce set up by the Lagos State Government.

A three-day ultimatum has been issued by the unions to the Lagos State Government, demanding the immediate disbandment of two state committees and the unconditional release of all impounded trucks.

The unions are the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, MWUN, the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners, NARTO, and the Association of Maritime Truck Owners, AMATO.

The Lagos State Government Committee on Removal of Abandoned Vehicles and the Special Traffic Management Committee in Apapa have been engaging in truck seizures over none payment of approved levies.

But, the truck owners, maritime workers and transport unions are accusing the State Government taskforce of arbitrarily action, extortion, and violence, which they claim are crippling port operations and inflicting severe financial losses on stakeholders in the haulage sector.

In a communiqué issued after an emergency meeting at the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria secretariat in Lagos, the unions detailed a series of alleged abuses by the committees, including the imposition of exorbitant fines ranging from ₦200,000 to ₦400,000 on impounded trucks, often paid into private accounts rather than government-designated accounts.

The communiqué also highlighted a violent incident on February 20, where members of the committees, accompanied by street urchins, allegedly attacked haulage truck owners and drivers along the Apapa Port Road, leaving one victim hospitalised with grievous injuries.

The worker groups are also claiming that over 100 trucks were hijacked by the Abandoned Vehicle Committee at Unity Bonded Terminal on February 23, falsely labeled as abandoned.

These committees have been accused of deviating from their mandate of easing traffic congestion and are now engaging in activities that sabotage port operations, disrupt the ease of doing business, and inflict huge financial losses on truckers, importers, and exporters.

The workers highlighted that in the recent incident involving trucks released from Lillypond Pregate, Apapa Port-bound trucks, which was authoritatively directed by the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA through the office of the Apapa Port Manager, shockingly, all the trucks that were on the move following the directive of the NPA were flagged down by members of the two Committees and ordered to return to where they were coming from, and some of the trucks were forcefully arrested and slammed with the usual alleged unregulated bills.

In the meantime, the umbrella body of all the workers unions has issued a three-day ultimatum, expiring on Wednesday, February 26, 2025, for the Lagos State Government to disband the two committees and release all impounded trucks.

It adds that failure to meet these demands, the unions warned, will result in an immediate industrial action and the withdrawal of services by all their members across the state.

If the strike is allowed to begin on Wednesday, it is expected to paralyse port operations in Lagos, Nigeria’s economic hub, and could have far-reaching implications for the country’s economy.

But while the unions have issued the warning, another key industry body, Council of Maritime Transport Unions and Associations, COMTUA, has dissociated itself from the planned shutdown of the ports.

COMTUA in a counter-statement signed by its National President, Adeyinka Aroyewun, distanced itself from the proposed shutdown, deepening the divide among trucking stakeholders.

The association condemned the planned action and accused MWUN, NARTO, and AMATO of contributing to the very congestion they claim to oppose.

The group argues that the Lagos State Government has provided legal avenues for disputing the actions of traffic enforcement agencies. It urged aggrieved stakeholders to channel their complaints through the Ministry of Transport rather than resort to drastic measures like shutting down the port

In a statement by the Deputy Director of Public Affairs in the Lagos State Ministry of Transport, Bolanle Ogunlola, the government stated that it arrested only 11 trucks, alleging that its officials were attacked.

According to the statement, the government’s enforcement of the e-call-up system commenced on January 24, 2025, with 10 trucks apprehended but were later released as an act of goodwill by the State Government with assurance from the stakeholders to adjust by coming onboard the e-call up system.

(Editor: Terverr Tyav)