You cannot operate at seaports, NPA tells NDLEA

There is a silent war brewing between the Nigerian Ports Authority and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency over the implementation of the Executive Orders of the Federal Government.

While addressing stakeholders last week on the implementation of six of the Executive Orders that applied to ports operations, the Managing Director, NPA, Hadiza Usman, had stated that only seven agencies were allowed to remain at the seaports.

She listed the agencies as the Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Customs Service, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Nigeria Police, Port Health Authority, NPA and the Department of State Service.

She also stated that the NDLEA would be invited to the ports whenever its presence was required.

But no sooner had the news gone out than the NDLEA came out with a response, claiming that its agents were supposed to be at the seaports.

In a statement signed by its spokesman, Ofoyeju Mitchell, the agency insisted that the NPA MD mentioned eight agencies that were mandated to stay at the ports, adding that it was one of those eight agencies.

However, the NPA maintained its earlier position in a statement late on Saturday that only seven agencies were mandated to remain at the ports.

The statement signed by the Principal Manager, Public Affairs, NPA, Ibrahim Nasiru, reiterated the agency’s commitment to the implementation of the Executive Orders.

It pointed out that as part of the Executive Orders, only seven agencies were mandated to be at the seaports and also confirmed their names.

The statement stated in part, “The NPA has reiterated for the umpteenth time that it would enforce the Presidential Executive Order concerning the 24-hour operations at the nation’s seaports. The directive stated that only seven agencies are permitted to operate within the ports. These agencies are the NPA, NIMASA, the Ports Health, NCS, NIS, NPF and DSS.

“In this regard, therefore, the management of the NPA wishes to unequivocally state that any other agency that has not been listed in the above list, in line with this presidential order, should henceforth vacate operating from within the premises of the nation’s seaports.”