BREAKING :Wharf Rats Vandalise Multiple Containers At Tin Can Island Port

By Roland Ekama, Lagos

 

Suspected robbers otherwise known as Wharf rats have again vandalised multiple containers at TinCan Island in Lagos .

 

Investigation conducted by DAILYFOCUS NEWS ONLINE disclosed that the containers were vandalised at Hannover Terminal in the early hours of last Wednesday .

 

Findings revealed that the unconfirmed figure of boxes affected were originally imported into Tin Can Island Container Terminal (TICT) before being transferred to the said terminal involved.

 

It was also gathered that suspected thieves stormed the facility at night, carting away valuable items worth millions of naira in the boxes.

 

Multiple sources confirmed to our correspondent that the affected containers were sealed up from the mother terminal ,(TICT) but at Hanover, the seals were broken.

 

They also alleged that items of workers like shoes and overall (shirts) were discovered in some of the affected boxes.

 

According to them, the alarming rate of cargo vandals at the Lagos ports have become a menace to international trade thus the Nigerian Ports Authority and Nigerian Shippers’ Council need to fashion out modalities to curb the menace .

 

Recall that similar incident occurred at one of the terminals at Tin Can Island Port recently ,where at least four vehicles were vandalised .

 

Also, equipment belonging to the Nigerian Air force (NAF), were also stolen by the suspected Wharf rats.

 

Meanwhile in an exclusive chat with the Public Relations Officer, Tin Can Island Command, Nigeria Customs Service, Mr. Uche Ejesieme called on port security personnel to beef up security at their respective facilities, saying that the rising case of suspected Wharf rats would hinder trade facilitation.

 

Though, he noted that the Service had not been officially briefed about the development But admitted that it is a bad development which should be nipped in the bud.

 

“Though we did not get any official report about the issue, the terminal operators should need up security at their terminals to make sure that such case do not happen again.

 

“We have not been officially contacted, we also read it in the papers just like any other person,” he said.