In a bid to forestall any breach of security in the nation’s seaports as a result of the insurgency in the north-eastern part of the country, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has tightened security.

The renewed measures are aimed at ensuring that there is what a source called “all round security” at the nation’s seaports.

Already, the management of the authority has started a clamp down on intruders into the nation’s seaports.

To this end, it will no longer allow intruders from carrying out illegal businesses at any of the terminals across the country.

As part of the new measures, port security operatives at the gates have continued to subject pedestrians to multiple checks, requesting for valid photo identity cards, among other things to determine their genuineness of coming into the terminals.

Speaking on the new security measures, the Port Manager, Lagos Port Complex (LPC), Apapa, Mr. Nasir Mohammed, stated that the port was meant for legitimate business activities and not for illegalities.

Mohammed maintained that the ports must remain restricted to ensure the safety of workers and other legitimate port users.

His words: "On the issue of access control, the port continues to remain a security facility and for that reason, access into the port must be regulated. Especially in view of current situations that have been happening across the country. So, we have never taken it for granted. We have continued to ensure that there must be maximum security provided in the port. So, for this reason, the Port Police and the NPA security personnel have been doing their best and we will continue to encourage them, especially in ensuring that people that have no legitimate business in the port do not get into the ports."

Mohammed said the management would continue to ward off squatters from the port so that it does not become a haven for undesirable elements and criminals.

"Last year, we undertook operations to dislodge squatters and other people that have no business in the port, especially around the customs areas and is going to be a continuous exercise. We usually collaborate with the customs and other agencies inside the port, to ensure that we rid the port of people that have no legitimate business inside the port", he said

Nigerian ports situated in Lagos, Warri, Calabar, Sapele, Onne, and Port Harcourt were handed over to concessionaires following the successful conclusion of the port reforms in 2006 by the Chief Olusegun Obasanjo administration.

The exercise, which was supervised by the Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE) divested NPA from the day-to-day running of the nation’s seaports.

Though the authority remains the landlord collecting royalties, NPA is saddled with the maintenance of common user services such as the port access roads and pilotage.

The terminal operators which have been allocated different terminals and years of operations signed agreement with the federal government.