…Give three-day ultimatum to disband committees

…Fines Paid into Private Bank Accounts

By Godwin Oritse

Lagos—A coalition of Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), and Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO) has withdrawn its services from Lagos ports, protesting what it described as the “increasingly provocative and exploitative activities” of the Lagos State Committee on Removal of Abandoned Vehicles and the Special Traffic Management Committee and Enforcement Team.

The unions have issued a three-day ultimatum for authorities to address their grievances or face the consequences of their action.

In a statement dated February 24, 2025, the transport unions condemned a recent incident where trucks released from the Lillypond Pre-gate under the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA)’s directive were halted and impounded by the Committees.

“Shockingly, all the trucks that were on the move following the directive of the Nigerian Ports Authority were flagged down, some were forcefully arrested, and slammed with unregulated bills,” the unions stated.

They further alleged that impounded trucks were taken to the Committees’ yards, where operators were forced to pay excessive towing charges.

The unions also condemned an attack on truckers on February 20, 2025, near Area B, Apapa, where Committee members, accompanied by street urchins, allegedly assaulted and extorted truck owners and drivers.

“When it appeared that the trucker had no intent to comply with their baseless demands, the Committees’ members set the street urchins upon the hapless trucker,” they alleged, noting that one victim sustained grievous injuries and was hospitalized.

On February 23, 2025, they claimed that the Abandoned Vehicles Committee raided Unity Bonded Terminal, seizing over 100 trucks waiting to drop empty containers and tagging them abandoned.

The unions accused the Committees of:

Unfairly targeting maritime truckers

Sabotaging port operations

Inflicting financial losses on transporters and businesses

“It is almost as if there is a spoken directive to ensure the grounding to a halt of the businesses of the stakeholders in the haulage sector,” they stated, adding that many companies have been forced to suspend operations due to the arbitrary seizure of trucks.

“Enough is Enough” – Unions Declare

In their final warning, the unions demanded the immediate disbandment of the Committees, warning of a full-blown shutdown if their demands are ignored.

“It is on this note that we say Enough is Enough to the ignoble and exploitative activities of these two Committees against maritime transport operators.”

With the ultimatum set to expire in three days, all eyes are now on the Lagos State Government and port authorities to avert a looming transportation crisis.