Merchant Navy Union Worries Over Incessant  Detention Of Members By Police , Set To Engage IGP

The Nigeria Merchant Navy Officers and Water Transport Senior Staff Association NMNOWTSSA has expressed worries over recent extortion , harassment and molestation by officials of the Nigeria Police Force on members of the seafaring community.

 

The Seafarers union attributed the development to recent clampdown on fake Merchant Navy groups by the Lagos State Command, urging the police high authorities not to generalise the “nomenclature” but to understand the roles played by seamen most especially as it concerned the Trade Union Congress TUC affiliate body and its members.

 

Speaking at a press briefing held in Lagos on Friday, Secretary General of the union, Comrade John Okpono Aleakhue lamented that despite  members polite ways of identification to police officers  they will insist to detain them.

Okpono who reiterated the Comrade Bob Yousou led NMNOWTSSA commitment to discourage any form of illegalities perpetrated by fake Merchant Navy groups in Nigeria , maintained that the union is a reputable outfit in Nigeria water transport sub sector.

 

He stated that the current trend was an aftermath of the raid conducted in 2021 by the Lagos State Police  Command on some illegal Merchant Navy outfits in an operation that led to the arrest of over  100 personnel.

 

 

He explained that the NMNOWTSSA was set up by the Nigerian Trade Union Act, and it is an affiliate of Trade Union Congress (TUC) as well as International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) as the recognised seafarers body in Nigeria, adding that the union is a core player in the maritime sector .

 

According to him, the police authorities need to understand the crucial role of the union in world trade economy and movement of cargoes pointing out that the NMNOWTSSA was not proscribed by the federal government of the country.

 

He also called on the police high command to release members in detention in Lagos and Ogun states respectively, saying the harassment, intimidation, molestation and illegal arrest of bonifade officers onboard ships was alarming.

 

Okpono stressed that: “The Merchant Navy is a discipline that cannot be proscribed by any law. More than 90% of World cargo is being transported by the seafarers. If the world acknowledges this, then I don’t see what Nigeria can do about it” he said.

“Our problem now is in Lagos and Ogun State. As an aftermath of the clampdown on some illegal Merchant Navy formations in Lagos.

 

“This led to the commissioner of police in Lagos State giving a general statement that the Merchant navy has been banned.

 

“Since then, some police stations have taken advantage of the situation, they are now molesting, harassing and extorting our members”

 

“We appeal to the press to help us inform the public and the police officers because they do not understand what Merchant navy is all about”

 

“It is a discipline that has an international and global outlook. In order discipline, you cannot work abroad without acquiring additional knowledge. But, a seafarer from Nigeria can go to any part of the world and the rank is the same”.

 

The union’s scribe also disclosed that plans are afoot to engage the Inspector General of Police Mr. Alkali Usman Baba on the recent development noting the union had engaged him when he was the Commissioner of Police (Western Port) and Assistant Inspector General (AIG) Maritime , Zone 2 in furtherance to caution his officers to stop the harassment of members.

 

By Roland Ekama