Police Ban Revenue Collection, Ticket Sales on Apapa, Tin Can Port Corridors

The Western Ports Police Command has declared revenue collection and ticket sales along the Apapa and Tin Can Island port access corridors illegal amid a dispute between two transport groups.

The dispute involves the Committee of Maritime Transport Unions and Associations (COMTUA) and the Lagos State Trucks and Cargo Operators Committee (LASTCOC) over the proposed sale of Lagos State revenue tickets along the busy port corridors.

The police intervention followed a petition by COMTUA over what the association described as proposed illegal revenue collection on the roads leading to the ports.

Following the petition, the Commissioner of Police, Western Ports Command, convened a meeting with representatives of both groups at the Command Headquarters in an effort to resolve the dispute and prevent a breakdown of law and order.

The meeting was attended by the Deputy Commissioners of Police in charge of Operations and Administration, the Area Commander for Tin Can Island, and Divisional Police Officers from Apapa, RORO and Tin Can Island, alongside other senior officers of the Ports Authority Police Command.

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) was also represented by its Principal Security Officers from the Apapa and Tin Can Island ports.

According to a statement by COMTUA National President Yinka Aroyewun, both parties agreed to maintain peace and avoid actions that could disrupt traffic and port operations.

The Commissioner of Police urged the parties to comply with the resolutions reached, stressing the importance of keeping the port corridors peaceful and ensuring the free movement of trucks and cargo.

A key resolution was that neither group would conduct committee or union activities, including revenue collection and ticket sales, along the port access corridors.

The police command reaffirmed that revenue collection and the sale of tickets on the port access roads are illegal and will not be allowed, according to the statement issued after the meeting.

COMTUA welcomed the intervention and urged truck operators to continue their lawful activities without fear of harassment or unauthorised ticket collection.

The development comes as authorities seek to prevent further disputes from affecting traffic movement and operations around the Apapa and Tin Can Island ports, two of Nigeria’s major maritime gateways.