•The NPA, NIMASA and Transport Ministry connection
Ship dues and taxes estimated at $50 million may have been lost by the federal treasury between June 2013 and November 2014 alone as a result of under declaration by government officials who allegedly collude with shipping agents to line their pockets.
Investigation showed that officials of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), and Ministry of Transport allegedly connive to rob the treasury.
100 ships evade dues, levies
Ship dues, conveyance, footage and environmental protection levies are collected in dollars by the NPA and NIMASA for every ship, tug, barge and fishing trawler that berths at ports and jetties nationwide.
But documents obtained by TheNiche showed that between June 2013 and November 2014 about 100 ships and vessels have entered Nigeria without official documentation and payment of dues and levies.
Shipping agents allegedly evade payment of dues and taxes and pay part of them to government agencies without official receipt.
In June 2013, 16 vessels were allegedly not captured in NPA manifest. The ships berthed at jetties in Kirikiri Lighter Terminal (KLT), Lagos.
Among the ships were Aleutian (which agent is Intels), Gotland (Conveyance Marigann), Karistos (Kazuma), Kota Hapas (Pil), LR Aldebaran (Austen), Marine Prince (Aruo).
Others were Miseno (Integrated), N. S. Silver (Blueseas), Oceanic Orion (Intels), Orient Trail (Allison), Rooster II (Val Ship), Saint John (Etiana), Saint Monica (Etiana), Sea (Ocean Glory), Sea Ray (Daddo), and Silver Sun (Comet).
Only three (Karistos, Marine Prince, and Orient Trail) were captured in NIMASA manifest, but with discrepancies.
The ships carried wheat, 460 containers, UNL gasoline, salt, AGO, palm oil, LGO, LPFO, and vehicles. No agency involved has explained how they berthed at Tin Can Port and KLT.
Fifteen ships, which were recorded by satellite firm, AIS, allegedly berthed and discharged their contents without trace on NPA commercial list, which records the payment of dues and levies.
The ships allegedly included Ohafia (tug boat), Abundance (oil tanker), Actos (tanker), Africa Support 4 (tug), Africa Support 7 (tug), Anastasia S (bulk carrier ship), Bade (tanker), and Baltic Sea (refrigerated cargo).
Others allegedly included Battle Axe (tug), Balisaire (tanker), Benedicta (tanker), MT Mother Benedicta (container), Berger Confidence (pusher tug), and Blue Latitudes (unity vessel).
A source at the NPA disclosed that ship under declaration and dues evasion are a “cash cow for the big ogas [bosses]” and expressed concern that it is impossible to stop the crime because of the personalities involved.
He alleged that private jetties at KLT have become notorious and uncontrollable in the racket.
“Fishing trailers hardly pay dues and their contents are hardly known. Ship under declaration and dues evasion is a cash cow for the big ogas [bosses] and notable stakeholders because even the minister himself is interested.
“The government should look into the private jetties because they are very notorious and dangerous,” the source alleged.
NPA official issues death threat
Another source at the Lagos Channel Management (LCM), which provides towage services for the NPA, alleged that on some occasions, LCM and KLT Traffic Manager for NPA, Igwe Ani, receives order from the top to allow ships discharge without official payment of dues and levies.
When TheNiche asked Ani to respond to the allegation, he threatened any journalist who reports the racket.
“This is why you journalists are killed by politicians because you raise alarm over issues you do not know,” he said.
Sources at the NPA alleged that political big wigs in Abuja benefit from the proceeds from the crime of ship evasion of dues and levies.
How the bubble burst
Last year, President Goodluck Jonathan’s Maritime Matters Assistant, Leke Oyewole, received petitions on the racket and reportedly began to study ship entry records.
The government engaged AIS, which monitors all ship entries into the country, to compare its figures with the records of the Navy, NPA, and NIMASA.
Relying on AIS, which provides a comprehensive list of ships, barges, tugs, and fishing trawlers, Oyewole discovered that many of the ships were not in the official records of NIMASA and NPA.
Oyewole ordered the arrest of a ship owner who allegedly evaded dues and levies. But on interrogation, the alleged culprit disclosed that part of what he was to pay to the treasury had been collected by NPA and NIMASA officials.
Oyewole promised the ship owner that he would not involve the security agencies if he would pay the dues and levies officially. The man paid and obtained a receipt.
Oyewole reported to Jonathan, who directed Transport Minister, Omar Sulaiman, to ensure that all lost ship levies and dues were recovered.
The Navy and NIMASA reportedly made efforts to recover lost revenue but the NPA allegedly ignored the directive and also hid documents on ship manifests from Oyewole.
NPA, minister set up panels
The NPA board, headed by Tony Anenih, set up a committee to reconcile NPA’s manifest with that of AIS to try recover the lost revenue. But Transport Minister, Idris Umar, created another committee which requested all the documents from NPA Managing Director, Habib Abdullahi.
When the NPA committee asked for the documents from port managers, they said they had forwarded them to the ministerial committee.
The lost revenue has not been recovered. And ship under declaration and levies and dues evasion persist.
Ministerial panel ‘resolves’ matter
TheNiche sent questionnaires to both Abdullahi and his Assistant General Manager (Public Affairs), Musa Iliya.
Abdullahi referred TheNiche to his Executive Director (Marine and Operations), David Omonibeke, who confirmed Oyewole’s investigations, but insisted that the matter has been resolved at the ministerial level.
Omonibeke declined to provide documents of the reconciliation and evidence that NPA is recovering the lost revenue.
Both he and Iliya pleaded that the report of ship under declaration is not in the best interest of the NPA and should not be published.
“The ministerial committee was set up and issues were reconciled. Now we do weekly reconciliation. We wasted energy for four good months. Some vessels passed but did not come to berth. Some are NPA operated vessels,” Omonibeke explained.
NPA fails to disclose sums recovered
Ask how much the ministerial committee discovered missing and how much has been recovered, Omonibeke said he could not answer such questions.
Another source alleged that the ministerial committee was a ploy by Umar and Abdullahi to conceal the racket.
Tin Can Island Port Manager, Babatunde Longe, who supervises the jetties, was not available on two occasions when TheNiche visited his office. He did not answer calls made to his telephone line.
Kingsley Ukabiala, the port’s spokesman, said he could not speak on the issue.
NIMASA Deputy Director (Public Relations), Isichei Osamgbi, was not forth coming on NIMASA’s perspective when contacted.
A ship owner, Etiana, which operates Saint John (barge) and Saint Monica at KLT, denied allegation that its ships evade dues and levies.
In response to a text message, Enebili, the promoter of Etiana, said: “I have facts (about) ships (and) all charges with evidence.”
