Port Corridors: Police Ban Ticket Sales, Revenue Collection

The Western Ports Police Command has declared the collection of revenue and sale of tickets on the Apapa and Tin Can Island port access roads illegal.

The declaration followed a dispute between the Committee of Maritime Transport Unions and Associations (COMTUA) and the Lagos State Trucks and Cargo Operators Committee (LASTCOC) over plans to sell Lagos State revenue tickets along the busy port corridors.

COMTUA had petitioned the Police Command over what it described as the proposed illegal collection of revenue tickets on the port access roads.

To prevent the dispute from escalating, the Commissioner of Police, Western Ports Command, convened a peace meeting involving both parties at the Command Headquarters.

The meeting was attended by the Deputy Commissioners of Police responsible for Operations and Administration, the Area Commander, Tin Can Island, Divisional Police Officers from Apapa, RORO and Tin Can Island, as well as other senior officers of the Ports Authority Police Command.

Representatives of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), including the Principal Security Officers of the Apapa and Tin Can Island ports, were also present.

Yinka Aroyewun, National President of COMTUA, said both parties agreed to maintain peace and avoid activities that could threaten law and order along the port corridors.

The Commissioner of Police urged the parties to respect the agreement reached, stressing the importance of peace, free traffic flow and uninterrupted port operations.

The COMTUA statement quoted the resolution as saying: “That both parties agreed not to conduct any committee or union business, including revenue collection and sale of tickets, on the port access corridors. The Police Command reaffirmed that revenue collection and sale of tickets on the port access roads is illegal and will not be allowed.

COMTUA subsequently praised the Western Ports Police Command for its intervention.

“We, in COMTUA, commend the Western Ports Police Command for its timely intervention and fatherly role. We remain committed to peace and urge all truckers to go about their lawful businesses without fear of harassment or illegal ticket collection,” Aroyewun said.

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