By Godwin Oritse & Godfrey Bivbere

LAGOS—FOLLOWING an alarm raised by the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, yesterday arrested and detained a Maersk Line vessel, ‘MV Nashiville,’ laden with toxic waste.

The crew on board the vessel and its agents were also arrested and detained, pending investigation.

The vessel was operated by American President Lines, APL, a wholly owned subsidiary of a Singapore based Neptune Orient Lines, and had in its hold, among other things, 70 storage (lead) batteries classified as Basel codeA1180 and broken televisions.

The ship’s agent, Vanguard gathered, was detained at the intelligence unit of the Tin-Can Island Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS.

Sources close to the Tin-Can Island Port Customs Command, told Vanguard, that the vessel actually arrived the country on 9 April, 2010 and discharged some of its contents at the Federal Ocean Terminal at Onne in Rivers State.

It was learnt that the vessel left Onne and arrived Lagos on 11 April , 2010, and that the NPA allowed it to berth at Berth 7B early yesterday.

The vessel reportedly met its waterloo following a memo from the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency, NESREA, to the NPA, which in turn alerted security agencies at the port.

Vanguard learnt that Maersk Line had earlier written to the NCS on April 12, 2010, requesting for berthing permission at berth ‘C’ of the Tin-Can Island Port.


http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/04/16/toxic-waste-ship-arrested-in-lagos/
Part of Maersk Line’s letter reads: “Please be informed that the above named vessel is scheduled to arrive Tin-Can Port Berth TC 7B. We shall be grateful for your usual immediate clearance and cooperation.”

Memo from NPA general manager

It was learnt that following the memo, the Customs service and other security agencies swung into action and monitored the movement of the vessel until she was arrested and detained.

A memo from the NPA signed by Malam Mohammed Bulago, General Manager, Western Ports to the port managers of the Lagos Port Complex and the Tin-Can Island Port informed them of the movement of the vessel and she was quickly granted a berthing space.

Part of NPA’s memo reads: “Please find forwarded herewith the letter from the office of the Director-General, National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency, NESREA, with reference NESREA/I &E/343/1/83, dated April 7, 2010 concerning the above-mentioned subject matter.

“You are to urgently direct respective terminal operators to monitor the vessel MV Nashville and the container UESU-463595-0 and to detain the container on discharge and inform the agency accordingly.”

Efforts to speak with both the arrested ship agent and the Customs Area Comptroller in charge of the Tin-can Island Port Customs Command, Alhaji Sadiq Sahabi, were futile as he was said to be awaiting directives from the Customs headquarters in Abuja.

It will be recalled that in 1988, over 3,500 tonnes of toxic waste were dumped at Koko in Delta State which caused unpalatable consequences on people of the area, including sudden deaths. The menace of toxic waste dumps, according to experts, has greater challenge because it is a silent killer.

Toxic waste dumps, such as used electronic products, batteries, computers, telephone handsets and used tyres, spark off huge radioactive waves which permeate the skin surfaces and blood vessels leading to the development of cancer of various kinds, high blood pressure, hypertension and heart attacks, among others.

i hope they don`t come back to eat up their word by telling us that the information they had was incomplete in the first place.

we have seen enough of this stuff that turned to be balderdash.

remember the case of the seized 40`container laden with weapons? it turned out to be misplaced.

what about the MEND weapon laden aircraft apprehended in Kano?

we wait and see the outcome of this.

Their asses ought to be tried for attempted murder!

Another koko in the making.

nigeria is now a dumping ground for toxic waste. hope this isnt swept as usual under the carpet.

Only in nigeria, can this kinda thing happen, and to think someone somewhere is sitting his fat ass on a fat bribe, just to get this into the country,

Bravo 2 d environmental people 4 dis one. As 4 custom and navy n co, we all knw dis is naija,so expect another headline in a few weeks readn "TOXIC WASTE SHIP MISSING. NPA,NAMA,CUSTOMS AND NAVY CHIEFS FACE PANEL"

Really wont be surprised if the contents of that ship somehow ends up in the Nigerian market or the ship itself goes missing. Sadly that's the reality of being a Nigerian. But for now,let's say thanks for all the authorities involved in apprehending this ship.

bomb the stupid country from where d waste came. Jail the crew 4 life! idiots.

As we await the rejoinder,
don't forget that no matter what the ship is carrying "there's always a price tag"

ship owners pay the necessary fees to "concerned authorities"
dumps the waste
gets "strong warning"
never get into Nigeria territorial waters again

knowing naija, some business man probably ordered those goods

I heard NPA got d intel from outside the country. Thanks to d informant. They couldnt have spotted it on their own cos we dont have d device that detect such rubbish. Investigations should be experdise to knw d country dis shit is comin frm.This could have gradually increase the number of people that had cancer in naija.

I think there is more to this story . Or is this a disguised chemical war against our country

This what happens when institutions fail

May God punish all those trying to destroy my beautifull country nigeria because of greed!

I think this shows the sorry state of this nation called Nigeria. This is a country where there are laws but the laws are made useless and corruption is the order of the day. If this were not so why would other countries have the guts to dump their toxic wastes in Nigeria.
As usual certain people have been bribed even before the cargo set forth for Nigeria. I just hope this is not swept under the carpet and the lives of the citizens are endangered.
Sometimes one wonders how certain individuals could be so heartless as to put the lives of other people on the line all for the sake of money.
I do not blame the country with the toxic waste i blame Nigeria cos we made our nation their dumping ground.

not to be grammer nazi but - how do you arrest a SHIP? You tell am say make ein hands up abi wetin? naija eh

comechop:

not to be grammer nazi but - how do you arrest a SHIP? You tell am say make ein hands up abi wetin? naija eh

I shake my head,

Let me ask you a question, How do you arrest a gun that killed someone? Do you just arrest the gun or arrest the person that pulled the trigger?

, Just dont tell me you have to use magnet to arrest the gun cos it seems you might be that dumb.

The culprit should be jailed. Trying to pollute the country

Just dont tell me you have to use magnet to arrest the gun cos it seems you might be that dumb.

Buh seriously, can someone in all truthfulness be that dumb?

Gabbage in Gabbage out, return the f%%king ship to where is coming from.

Another Koko in the making. What a mess?

What's new?
toxic waste has been arriving in benin since the '70's.
if they want to stop the trend that's good news otherwise it's
nothing new

mrkoma2012:

This what happens when institutions fail

And nobody does nothing, you and me

job man