Maritime Police Command: How AIG Alkali Baba Usman is ensuring Ease of Doing Business at Ports

…plus his working visit to NAGAF headquarters

*Says Police most self- disciplined institution

*NAGAFF lauds AIG Usman as it mobilizes members on compliance

*Says, “Be law compliant and talk less of enforcement”

*Puts challenges facing freight forwarders before Police topman

*As body decorates MPC boss

…Command now tougher on maritime fraudsters

By Kemi Kasumu, General Editor

 

He however assured that challenges facing Ease of Doing Business (EODB) on the part of forwarders at Ports are surmountable but noted that “It is all about doing the right thing by obeying law and order.”  The AIG blamed the reason for most of the challenges listed by NAGAFF President in his address on deviation, saying, “When you deviate from the norms and values, you have challenges.  If you talk of harassment and intimidation, it is still about not doing the right thing.  When there is adherence to rules and regulations and standard, the challenges will go,” he said, but emphasized that there are standards, deviation from which is reason for some of the problems.

The Maritime Police Command Headquarters, Kam Salem House, Lagos is one unit of the Ibrahim Kpotun Idris-led Nigerian Police Force that has made its own mark ensuring security and safety of the Nigerian maritime environment thereby enabling stakeholders in the economic sector push their businesses for the growth of selves and national economy.

The Command, which news of birth broke into the public air space on Thursday March 14, 2013 by a press release the then Force PRO, CSP Frank Mba under the administration of Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Muhammad Abubakar, is today being reinvigorated by the current IGP Ibrahim Kpotun Idris leadership to meet up with the aims and aspirations of the Muhammadu Buhari Administration.

Currently headed by the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) Alkali Baba Usman, the Maritime Police Command Headquarters, Moloney, Lagos is working hard not only to be seen as working but more actively impactful of positive change in the Maritime sector especially in ways which help stakeholders feel the dividends of Ease of Doing Business (EODB) programme the Office of the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, has engendered, as coordinating centre for the national economy in enabling the smallest of economic actors help himself and help Nigerian economy grow in line with the economic diversification programme of the Buhari Administration.

As the very fusion of the Marine Police Command, the Police Ports Authority Command and the Inland Waterways Formation of the Nigerian Police, what has today become more energized Maritime Police Command was established to enjoy the status of a zonal command with an Assistant Inspector General (AIG) as head being that it is the convention for police zonal commands which groups together a number of state police commands – which are in turn commanded by Commissioners of Police.

In breaking the news on Thursday March 14, 2013, CSP Frank Mba said, “The Maritime Police Command is further broken into Western Maritime Command with headquarters in Lagos, the Eastern Maritime Command with headquarters in Port Harcourt, Rivers State and the Marine Command with headquarters also situated in Lagos.”

The Maritime Police Command, which at that time of its establishment, was steered by its pioneer head, AIG Mike Idakwo, has had more than 10 heads including AIG Muhammad Musa Katsina, AIG Pius Imueh who died in office in September 2017 while he would have been due for his retirement in October same year before his untimely death, and AIG Felix Ogundeji who was appointed to replace Imueh and had been there, until the appointment of the current AIG, Alkali Baba Usman.

Working visit to NAGAFF headquarters

Thursday June 7, 2018 was a day the sitting AIG, Alhaji Alkali Baba Usman, had got to embark on a long overdue working visit to another group of stakeholders operating in the Maritime sector under his policing jurisdiction and the visit, this time, was to the headquarters of NAGAFF, that is National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders, in Apapa, Lagos.

He was accompanied on the visit by ACP Ports CID, Head of Investigation Unit of the command, SP Bassey Ikoi, Public Relations Officer of the Command, ASP Sadik Tunde and Editor of The DEFENDER, Prince Bashir Adefaka.

At NAGAFF, the simple looking but strict AIG, Baba Usman, was first received in a closed door meeting by Founder of the association, Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, during which he told his august visitor that “President Muhammadu Buhari is one that has come with government of Change and we note the several attacks against him because not all the people want to change their way,” which is the reason, according to him, the Ease of Doing Business engendered by the government is not being complied with by some of the agents operating in the clearing and forwarding business.

Dr. Aniebonam, however, promised the AIG MPC that as a law-abiding association, NAGAFF would ensure not only that the AIG Usman has good and responsible working relationship with it but also that it helps the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris to succeed.

He admitted that more of NAGAFF sister organizations had run foul of the laws guiding the activities of the trade but blamed it on the fact that the law breakers are uninformed.  He therefore promised to cooperate with the Maritime Police Command by getting those straying members to their senses with intent to making them get involved, informed and compliant with the laws.

Responding, the AIG, who appreciated the NAGAFF leader for his cooperation, sounded clearly the need for discipline among customs licensed agents to enable the police do their job more diligently as, he said, all is not about law enforcing but partnering in moving the nation forward economically through a well secured, safe maritime environment.

The meeting then moved from the founder’s office to the larger house where a reception proper was held for the AIG Maritime Police Command (MPC), Alhaji Alkali Baba Usman.

In his welcome address, President of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Chief Increase Uche, who gave a brief background of his association as “duly registered by the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN), with registration no. FFA 002”, adding that, “NAGAFF is a professional Association and the umbrella body of  freight forwarders in Nigeria with over 5000 registered members spread across the six geopolitical zones of the country.  Our operations cover all the entry points of Seaports, Cargo Airports and Land Board Stations in Nigeria,” he said.

Speaking forther, NAGAFF President Uche, who described the significance of the freight forwarder as the link that interfaces and brings together all the parties that are involved in cargo movement and documentation in the international trade logistic, supply chain management and customs facilitation, said, “NAGAFF came up purposely to cause change in the way businesses are carried out at the Ports.  Before now there was no clear direction for the Freight Forwarding profession; there was crisis of identity; and the entire industry was in disarray.

“This was in fact the state of the Freight Forwarding subsector before the Founder of NAGAFF, Dr. B. O. Aniebonam triggered the revolution in the Freight Forwarding profession precisely in the year 1999 with some few great minds that assisted in championing the cause for this movement.

“To achieve these objectives, NAGAFF established a training arm called NAGAFF established a training arm called NAGAFF Academy right from inception.  The institution is currently in affiliation with Redeemer’s University, one of the accredited training institutions by the CRFFN.  The visition to enthrone professionalism in the Freight Forwarding sector led the Founder of NAGAFF to play a pivotal role including the sponsorship of the Bill that gave rise to the establishment of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) through Act No 16 of 2007,” said the President in his address during the visit of AIG Baba Usman to NAGAFF headquarters, in Apapa, Lagos on Thursday June 7 and during which he also told him that stopping of containers by police on the roads after clearance at Ports was one of challenges of his members.

He added that, “AIG Sir, having said all these, we want to affirm that your visit to this compound today came at the right time when the government is being on addressing the numerous challenges in the Maritime industry through the Executive Order on the Ease of Doing Business reform of the sector.  We see this as a welcome development and have always thrown our weight behind government efforts at providing the enabling environment for businesses to thrive.

“NAGAFF is also happy at the effort made from your office to compliment government efforts in bringing order and sanity at the ports,  we commend your resolve to streamline the rampant issuance of letters to Shipping companies, Terminals and other government authorities to block containers from being released.  Your letter vide reference: CR: 3000/MT/FHQ/ANNEX/LA/VOL.1/60 of May 2, 2018 on this particular challenge will go a long way to check the abuses of the general duties of the Police junior officers which I mentioned as part of our challenges for now.”

The NAGAFF President appreciated the decision of AIG Usman to relocate the Commissioner of Police Ports from his office at Marina to Apapa, noting that, “This has also greatly enhanced security and close monitoring of activities at Ports.  I want to let you know that this singular approach has helped to reduce criminal activities of the touts within the Ports environment,” he told the visiting AIG.

Responding, AIG Usman, who told the freight forwarders that the police would continue to stop containers on the road adding that many issues, including hacking, under-declaration, forgery of documents form the basis for the action.

He however assured that challenges facing Ease of Doing Business (EODB) on the part of forwarders at Ports are surmountable but noted that “It is all about doing the right thing by obeying law and order.”

The AIG blamed the reason for most of the challenges listed by NAGAFF President in his address on deviation, saying, “When you deviate from the norms and values, you have challenges.  If you talk of harassment and intimidation, it is still about not doing the right thing.  When there is adherence to rules and regulations and standard, the challenges will go,” he said, but emphasized that there are standards, deviation from which is reason for some of the problems.

Informing the group about how he has helped them in feeling the EODB of the government, AIG Alkali Baba Usman enlightened them that the Maritime Police Command that he heads supervises the Western Maritime Command with headquarters in Lagos, the Eastern Maritime Command with headquarters in Port Harcourt, Rivers State and the Marine Command with headquarters also situated in Lagos.  He also said that detachments from the command are attached to NIMASA, NIWA, Nigeria Shippers Council and that some of them are also found in other commands just as marine police, he said, provide security by escorting boats and cargoes on waterways.

He added that he also supervises the 22 states across the federation where there are state marine officers ensuring actions against piracy, kidnapping and other maritime related crimes, at least to reduce the crimes to the barest minimum.

Speaking further Usman said, “My officers stop containers and they will continue to stop containers and there are reasons.  Or does container have diplomatic immunity?”  to which all said “No”.

Then giving reasons for the stoppage of containers on the road he said, “I acknowledge that the duty of freight forwarders is to clear container from Ports and deliver to destination in shortest time possible.  But stopping container mostly is due to deviation from the standards and values.  But doing so, which is duty of police, is not intended to create situation for demurrage.”

He spoke further, “The unpatriotic elements among us come together to perpetrate maritime related crimes.  And it requires the duty of all of us to stop this,” he charged.

Telling his hosts how not to see Maritime Police work at Ports or on the road as impediment of any substance, AIG Usman said, “When a dubious consignment is stopped or arrested for instance, it is the duty of the clearer to tell who owns it.  But in situation where the agent refuses to disclose the owner, such container will have issues.

“All of these stoppages cannot be said to be impediments to Ease of Doing Business at Ports,” he insisted.

“If however the stoppage is causing any particular damage to the business of your members”, the AIG demonstrating his compliance with EODB of the government said, “let us sit down and talk about it.  There is no problem that has no solution.  We will sit down and sort it out but not at the expense of the law.”

Reacting to the complaint about the excesses of the police junior officers causing impediments at Ports, he said, “As I am talking to you, I can assure you that I have three policemen in cell just for their excesses.  No agency checks excesses of his members like the Police,” he said subjectively.

Speaking on how he has helped forwarders to enjoy Ease of Doing Business at Ports, the top police bras said, “I wrote letters to all Police formations  to leave the business of maritime to Maritime Police Command.  So, I assure you that there is no police officer or man from any zone, state command or any formation who will come to you or ask you for anything, ask if he is from the Maritime Police Command and if not, tell him to go to Maritime Police Command or you call to alert us,” he said.

The Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of the Marine Police Command, Alhaji Alkali Baba Usman, who said during his visit to NAGAFF that his command’s operational duty is only limited to within the coastal waters and not the high sea, however harped on the need for armed personnel to board and escort vessels at berth and anchorage in a bid to curb incessant attacks on ships within the nation’s seaports.

With available patrol boats, the presence of security personnel will be felt in protecting vessels any time they are at berth until they finish discharging their consignments, he said.

The AIG, who made the call during the Thursday working visit to the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) in Lagos, lamented the inability of the regular marine police to provide adequate security for ships at berths as a result of insufficient logistics. He regretted that frequent altercation with the Nigerian Navy (NN) at sea, also hinders the command’s efforts in providing armed guards to the ships at berths.

The powers that is residing in the AIG Maritime Police Command is such that each of the subsidiary Commands under him is headed by a Commissioner of Police, as the Maritime Police Command is charged with the responsibility of maintaining law and order and providing adequate security at the Ports and harbours.

The Command is also saddled with the task of tackling contemporary security challenges such as armed robbery, piracy, kidnapping, gun running and other related crimes in the nation’s creeks, harbours and territorial waterways.

In his vote of thanks, Founder of NAGAFF, Dr. Boniface Aniebonam reiterated his call for the adoption of individual declarant in the country’s trade system.

Presenting his august visitor, AIG Alkali Baba Usman, with two binded handouts comprising names of all forwarders in the country and laws guiding their operations, Aniebonam wanted the AIG to help liaise with Customs and other authorities to address what he called “fraudulent” collection of between N20,000 and N30,000 by PTMF, a private terminal company, which thereby allow “unqualified” people into the Ports while depriving the real forwarders entry.

Aniebonam had in April this year, speaking with maritime journalists in Lagos, stressed that the current system, where the declarant in trade documents is a corporate body, as recognised by the Customs and Excise Management Act, CEMA, was responsible for myriad of trade malpractices common in the country’s trade system, as dubious individuals hide under the veil of corporate identity to commit crimes, such as under-declaration and deliberate wrongful declaration of imported goods.

He said:  “The corporate veil helps to cover criminality in the trade system. We have been clamouring for Customs to recognise individuals as declarants, not a corporate body. The practice of using a corporate body as a declarant gives room to multiples of trade malpractices, including under-declaration, wrong declaration and involvement of foreigners in the clearing of goods in Nigerian ports. They do all this hiding under corporate veil.

“Again, this is where the Nigeria Customs Service must collaborate with the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria, CRFFN, being the body that registers freight and regulates freight forwarders. Every freight forwarder has a practice number given him by CRFFN and when he declares goods and put his number, it will be easy to fish him out if he commits crime in the trade system,” he said.

MPC now tough on maritime fraudsters

Under AIG Baba Usman, the MPC how now gone tougher on fraudsters in the maritime sector as it has commenced prosecution of offenders without allowing any hindrance of any type.

Only recently, operatives of the Maritime Police Command, Force Headquaters, Annex, Lagos dragged two suspected fraudsters, Frederick Akinttomide, 49 and Ifedayo Akinwande, 36, before a Lagos Magistrate Court for allegedly clearing twelve cars valued at N69,548,362 at the Tin Can Island Ports, Apapa, Lagos with forged documents bearing a Custom licensed Agency, JSA Logistics Procurement Ltd without paying the duties accruable to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

A police source alleged that the accused were arrested on the order of the Assistant Inspector General Of Police, AIG in charge of Maritime Police Command, Force Headquarters Annex, Lagos, Baba Alkali Usman following a petition by the Management of JSA Logistics Procurement Ltd.

The accused persons were charged before an Igbosere Magistrate Court on a four-count charge of felony to wit, forging of bill of landing, hacking into the computers belonging to JSA Logistics Procurement, changing the Customs password of the company to capture twelve cars in their systems and clearing them.

Police identified the cars cleared by the accused persons as Acura Honda MDX 3.5L, Toyota Rav 4, Toyota Avalon, Toyota Camry, Toyota Landcruser, Toyota Prado SUV and Mitsubishi Pajero.

Others are Land Cruiser Prado and two other Land Cruser Prado SUV.