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NPA launches two 80-ton tug boats in Lagos

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The Federal Government on Friday launched two 80-ton Pull tug boats (vessels) at the Lagos ports acquired by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).
NPA Managing Director/CEO, Mr Mohammed Bello Koko, said the launch was driven by the need to provide efficient domestic cargo needs, win back transit cargo hitherto lost to neighbours and cater for the maritime requirements of landlocked neighbours.

According to him, “The state-of-the-art vessels, a three-pronged strategy of people technology, infrastructure and equipment, are part of the fulfillment of the agency’s service charter to provide relevant marine crafts to support port security, patrol, surveillance and deliver excellent marine services especially with the commencement of operations of Nigeria’s first Deep Seaport, the Lekki Deep Seaport.

Bello Koko spoke at the launch of the newly acquired Bollard Pull Tug Boats at the Lagos ports by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Dr Magdelene Ajani.

“I am greatly delighted and honored to welcome you to this occasion, which is a demonstration of this administration’s resolve to position the Nigerian Ports Authority to respond squarely to the contemporary demands of trade facilitation.
“Imbued by our corporate aspiration of attaining hub status by more efficiently servicing domestic cargo needs, winning back transit cargo hitherto lost to our maritime neighbours and positioning to cater to the maritime requirements of our landlocked neighbours, we have deployed a three-pronged strategy driven by people technology, infrastructure and equipment such as the state-of-the-art vessels we are gathered here to commission today.

“This occasion is part of the fulfillment of our service charter to provide relevant marine crafts to support port security, patrol, surveillance and most importantly deliver excellent marine services especially with the commencement of operations of Nigeria’s first Deep Seaport, the Lekki Deep Seaport.

“Our determination to continuously enhance our operational efficiencies accounts for the purchase of these new 80 Ton Bollard Pull Tugboats christened M.T MAIKOKO and M.T DA-OPUKURO to complement our existing fleet of tugs and recently commissioned Security Patrol Boats (SPBs) and Pilot Cutters deployed to enhance channel security across all our locations.’’

On the tugboats, Bello-Koko explained:“These neoteric 80ton tugboats are the first of the 2813 Azimuth Stern Drive (ASD) Model in Africa constructed by the world’s leading ship builders (Damen) and they possess exceptional Seakeeping Behavior, Superb Manoeuvrability of 360° using the Azimuth Thrusters, fire-fighting capability and Outstanding Towing Characteristics which will enhance the maneuvering of large capacity vessels of 300 Metres LOA and above presently calling at our Ports.
“In addition to positively affecting the turnaround time of large vessels, their deployment will enable stakeholders leverage the concomitant benefits of economies of scale, especially cost savings.’’

The NPA boss pointed out that the deployment of the Lekki Deep Seaport as launch pad for transshipment remains unwavering, adding that the inauguration of the tug boats is an attestation to the NPA management’s doggedness and commitment to the noble cause.

He assured consignees, concessionaires and other stakeholders of continuous improvement in service delivery from the NPA under his leadership.

Inaugurating the two newly-acquired state-of-the-art marine crafts, the Permanent Secretary, Dr Ajani, said the acquisition of the 2813 model of Damen’s ASD neoteric 80 Tons Bollard Pull Tugboats, the first of its kind in Africa, had accentuated the determination of the Federal Ministry of Transportation to boost port operational efficiency.
“My joy derives from the fact that the acquisition of these equipment, amongst many others that are in the works, signposts Nigeria’s seriousness to optimize the opportunities inherent in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)Agreement to which we are signatory.
“Maximizing the comparative advantages that our maritime assets as a littoral nation confers rests heavily on how much we are able to deepen our efficiencies through the deployment of relevant technology and equipment.
“I particularly want to commend the NPA Management team for delivering on this project in good time to support the optimization of the Lekki Deep Seaport. This is the kind of efficiency that the Ministry supports its agencies to entrench in the polity and I am happy that we are making progress,’’ he said.

Ajani pledged the support of the Federal Ministry of Transportation to the audacious efforts of the NPA, agencies and parastatals of government towards inter-agency collaborations in the attainment of the overarching goal of making Nigeria a global reference point of excellence in trade facilitation.

He congratulated the NPA CEO, the management and stakeholders for the remarkable feat, expressing the hope of greater accomplishments in the maritime industry.

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Deji Adeyanju fires back at Wike over Comments, Labels Him a “Bully and a Coward”

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Deji Adeyanju and Nyesom Wike

Human rights activist and lawyer Deji Adeyanju has issued a scathing response to comments made against him by Nyesom Wike, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister and former Rivers State governor. Wike had recently accused Adeyanju of being jobless, noting that the activist once sought his support in a bid to become the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national publicity secretary.

During a press briefing in Abuja on Friday, Adeyanju didn’t hold back, describing Wike as “a bully and a coward.”
He went on to criticize Wike’s character and political approach, saying, “Wike has never worked anywhere in his life. He is a serial betrayer. The only difference between Wike and Portable is that Portable does not betray people who have helped him.”

Adeyanju praised Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara for his recent actions against Wike, saying, “I commend Governor Fubara for dealing decisively with him. That’s how to deal with tyrants. Wike is nothing without politics.”

He further expressed his concerns over Wike’s influence, stating, “The reason why he is making so much noise and constituting a nuisance all over the place is because of our political patrimony that he loots. Clowns and charlatans like Nyesom Wike will open their mouths and criticize true activists.”

Adeyanju also highlighted the importance of citizens participating in politics, saying, “Wike wants everyone to leave politics to rogues like him. His idea of nation-building is where people like him control everything. All citizens of conscience should get involved in politics.”

The back-and-forth between Adeyanju and Wike highlights ongoing tensions within Nigerian political circles and has sparked discussions about the role of activists and the nature of leadership in the country.

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Late COAS Lt. General Taoreed Lagbaja Laid to Rest in Abuja Amid Tears, Tributes

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***Emotional Farewell as Nigeria Mourns a Dedicated Military Leader

Amid deep sorrow and heartfelt tributes, the late Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. General Taoreed Lagbaja, was laid to rest on Friday at the National Cemetery in Abuja.
His burial concluded two days of solemn funeral rites that began in Lagos, marking the end of an impactful military career.

The casket bearing Lagbaja, draped in Nigeria’s green and white, arrived at the cemetery around 3 pm following a funeral service at the National Christian Centre in Abuja.
His body was lowered into the earth at 4:41 pm after a ceremony lasting over two hours.

The event was attended by numerous dignitaries, including President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, Acting Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, Chief of Defence Staff General Christopher Musa, Defence Minister Abubakar Badaru, and other high-ranking officials.

President Tinubu, paying tribute, called Lagbaja’s appointment one of his most significant decisions and announced a posthumous national honor of Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) for the late COAS. He urged the military not to lose hope: “Please, do not let death defeat us, and as Commander-in-Chief, I renew my pledge that the country will always support you and your families.”
General Musa, the Chief of Defence Staff, echoed this sentiment, calling Lagbaja’s passing a call to strengthen the military’s resolve.
“Let us ensure his sacrifice continues to guide us as we defend this nation. We are resolved to defeat all enemies of the state, whether within or outside,” he stated.
Acting COAS Oluyede expressed personal gratitude for Lagbaja’s mentorship, sharing that he had nominated him for a national honor even while facing illness.

Lagbaja’s funeral rites began with a service of songs at the Army Headquarters Garrison Parade Ground, Mogadishu Cantonment, on Thursday, following the arrival of his body at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport from Lagos.

Lt. General Lagbaja, born on February 28, 1968, served as Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff for over a year, having been appointed by President Tinubu in June 2023. He passed away on November 5 after a brief illness, leaving a legacy of dedication and patriotism.

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Group Raises Alarm Over Lagos Task Force’s Invasion of Ex-Minister’s Lekki Property

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A civil society group, Good Governance Alliance – Nigeria (GGA-N), has condemned the Lagos State government following an alleged invasion of former Transportation Minister Admiral Festus Porbeni’s Lekki property by state officials on Friday morning.
They called for immediate action against alleged breach of court order on Admiral Festus Porbeni’s property.

According to the group, the invasion is in direct violation of a Federal High Court order and sets a dangerous precedent for lawlessness.

In a statement issued by GGA-N representative Nathaniel Obasi, the group reported that officials from the Lagos State Special Task Force forcefully entered Admiral Porbeni’s property at Wole Olateju Crescent around 7:30 am, accompanied by heavily-armed mobile policemen.
Obasi noted that the task force allegedly beat, arrested, and detained several individuals on the premises, placing them in a police vehicle known as ‘Black Maria.’

The statement emphasized that this raid contradicts a Federal High Court injunction prohibiting any disruption at the property and disregards a recent Supreme Court ruling granting federal control over inland waterways and adjacent lands within 100 meters.
Despite Porbeni’s possession of a Federal Certificate of Occupancy, the Lagos State Task Force allegedly threatened to bulldoze structures on the property, sparking concerns over escalating conflicts between state and federal jurisdiction.

GGA-N therefore urged the Chief Justice of Nigeria, the Inspector-General of Police, Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and federal agencies overseeing waterways to intervene, asserting that the Lagos State government’s actions could lead to “lawlessness and chaos.”

According to him, the disputed property was previously invaded in 2021.

Obasi claimed that at about 7:30am this Friday, officials from the Lagos State Special Task Force, illegally forced their way into Admiral Porbeni’s property at Wole Olateju Crescent, Lekki, despite the Federal High Court order, which barred any agent from entering the premises or harassing any person at the premises.

It added the Lagos State Special Task Force accompanied by heavily-armed mobile policemen, beat up, arrested and threw staff and other people met on the property into a police vehicle called ‘Black Maria’, which they brought “for the illegal raid”.
“The officials who cordoned off the area are now threatening to bulldoze all structures on the property, in brazen breach of the Federal High Court order (FHC/L/CS/1384/21).

“The actions of the Task Force is also in disregard of the landmark ruling of the Supreme Court in January which affirmed the federal government’s exclusive control of the country’s inland waterways and all lands within 100 meters of all declared federal waterways in Nigeria.

“The question is despite Admiral Porbeni being in possession of a Federal Certificate of Occupancy (CofO), how is the Lagos State Government allowed to flout not only an injunction from the Federal High Court but also a ruling from the Supreme Court?

“The Lagos state government’s brazen disobedience of court orders is a recipe for lawlessness and chaos. We draw the urgent attention of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Inspector General of Police, the Governor of Lagos State and relevant federal government agencies in charge of federal waterways in the country to the illegal raid and occupation by the Lagos State Special Task Force,” Obasi stated

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