₦airaland Forum

A 40-year old staff of the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, Sanni Sabiu has told the Apapa Magistrate Court an agonising story of how he lost his pregnant wife after he became financially incapacitated and unable to pay her medical bills having been duped by an alleged visa-forging crook, Adeniyi Adebayo Daniel, 39.

A suspected serial document forger, Daniel was first arraigned in court in August 2013 on a two-count charge of obtaining in pretence the sum of N1.2 million and stealing the said sum from Sabiu and his brother, Sanni Moruf for the procurement of Qatar visas for both men between August 2012 and April 2013. READ MORE

http://shipsandports.com.ng/lost-wife-visa-forgery-lasu-staff/

Crawling through years of abandonment, the Tin Can Island Port access road has finally become a dumpsite, having deteriorated from a buzzing port road to a truck dumping ground, SAMSON ECHENIM writes.



The current state of the Tin Can Island Port end of the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway leaves much to be desired and conveniently fitting in as a replica of national shame.

Years of abandonment by the federal government has left the road which leads to West Africa’s second largest seaport to the unmerciful hands of traders and hawkers trading around the port complex, who now dump their refuse indiscriminately on the road forming couples of heaps of garbage and refuse dumps on the road, which is currently laced with near irreparable gullies.READ MORE AND SEE MORE PICS

http://shipsandports.com.ng/heaps-refuse-take-tin-can-port/

A man named Fatai Mutairu, 36 was arraigned before the Apapa Magistrate Court on Friday by the Police for driving a DAF truck with registration number BRK 395 XA recklessly, rolling over another man and causing injuries that led to the death of another man who was sleeping underneath the truck.

The one-count charge was read by the Registrar in English language but translated to Yoruba language for the accused to understand.

The offence is punishable by Section 19(1) of the Lagos State Road of Traffic Law 2012.

The offence was allegedly committed by Mutairu in the morning hours of November 19, 2016 at Liverpool/Coconut Road by Anyman Canteen, Tin-Can Island Port, Apapa.READ MORE AND SEE PICS


http://shipsandports.com.ng/truck-crushes-sleeping-man-death-apapa/

Few days to the U.S. Presidential election, a Chinese monkey predicted that Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump would win but back home, controversial ‘Prophet’ T.B. Joshua predicted a Hillary Clinton victory.

“Ten days ago, I saw the president of America with a narrow win… What I frankly saw was a woman,” T.B. Joshua had said while the Chinese monkey described as the “king of prophets” tipped Trump for the US presidency. The monkey was reportedly given a chance to pick between life-sized cut-outs of Trump and Clinton. READ MORE...


http://shipsandports.com.ng/the-monkey-and-the-false-prophet/

The Nigeria Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) is exploring the possibilities of piping crude oil from Niger Republic for refining in Kaduna, NNPC Group Managing Director, GMD, Maikanti Baru, said on Friday.

Baru who visited Gov. Nasiru El-Rufa’i in Kaduna, said President Muhammadu Buhari was personally committed to the project.

He said it was important to explore alternative crude supply to Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company, which has been affected by vandalism of pipelines and age.

“Due to challenges with the aged refinery and crude oil pipelines that had been breached severally, the operations of the refinery has been epileptic. READ MORE


http://shipsandports.com.ng/incredible-nigeria-buy-crude-oil-niger-republic/

Many militants were reported killed when the Joint Task Force (JTF) code-named “Operation Delta Safe” raided a suspected militants’ camp in Okosugbene along the Burutu/Warri in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State on Thursday. MORE PICS

http://shipsandports.com.ng/photo-bodies-militants-killed-military/

Some militants were suspected to have lost their lives when troops of the Operation Delta Safe bombed a militant camp at Okosugbene Creek, along Burutu-Warri River, near Burutu, Delta State, with two fighter jets and about seven gun boats for nearly an hour on Thursday.

Reports from the area said that soldiers, who struck at about 6.00 am caught the militants unawares.

But while a source said it was an abandoned militant camp belonging to the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, another hinted that it was occupied by sea pirates.
READ MORE...

http://shipsandports.com.ng/niger-delta-many-feared-dead-military-bombard-militant-camp/

Following the recent resolve by the Nigerian government to give more support to agro-allied products, the costs of exporting farm produce and other related products from Nigeria will be favourable, thereby making the export market for agro-allied products more promising.

To export any product from Nigeria, there is need to

know everything about export business and most importantly the goods you wish to export, so you must answer the following questions:

Which product is in high demand outside Nigeria, and is readily available in Nigeria?
Can I easily source them and not disappoint my overseas customers waiting for me?
Is the demand for the goods high enough to be worth going into the business? Read more


http://shipsandports.com.ng/important-questions-must-answer-exporting-goods/

As yuletide draws close, a lot of people will be receiving bags of rice from their employers, friends and well wishers. You can identify if your rice is fake by carrying out any of the simple tips below:

When moulding a few grains of rice with a mortar and pestle, if the powder gives a quite white colour, you are good to go but it has a yellow discoloration, your rice must be expired.
You know what plastic smells like right? So, get a lighter and burn a handful of rice. If it catches fire and smells like burnt plastic, you have fake or expired rice. Read more


http://shipsandports.com.ng/how-to-avoid-eating-poisonous-imported-rice/

There are indications that building materials giant, Nigerite may lose its fast track cargo release privileges granted by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) following the discovery of 214.732kg of cocaine of cocaine stuffed in the company’s consignments.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) confirmed that a powdery material contained in eight bags concealed in a container with number CMAU045195/022G1 imported by Nigerite at the Tin-Can Island port in Lagos recently to be cocaine with street value of over N2 billion.

Nigerite has however denied culpability in the smuggling of the hard drug.

A Customs source told SHIPS & PORTS DAILY that the NCS and NDLEA have intensified investigations into determining the source of the drug, hinting that if found culpable, Nigerite may lose its fast tract privilege it enjoys with the Customs. Read more


http://shipsandports.com.ng/customs-sets-punish-nigerite-alleged-n2bn-cocaine-importation/

A body known as the Shipping Trade Group (STG), Warri has raised alarm over the dilapidated condition of the once boisterous Delta Ports in Warri, Delta State, saying that no fewer than 15 vessels have been grounded in the port channel in the past five months.

In a letter signed by its President, Ackerman Thilo and Secretary, Obioma Ochulor, and addressed to the Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the group said the breakwater at Escravos “is now completely submerged”, thereby destroying the buffer between the ocean and the river channel. Read more...


http://shipsandports.com.ng/group-raises-alarm-delta-port-says-15-vessels-grounded-five-months/

Considering the various controversies and allegations dogging the path of Rotimi Amaechi, should he resign as Nigeria’s Minister of Transportation?

Well unfortunately in this part of the world, we don’t place much premium on morality. Recently, the All Progressives Congress Legal Adviser, Muiz Banire, was mentioned in the bribery scandal involving the judges and he offered to resign from his post pending the conclusion of investigations into his alleged bribery of a judge and we applauded that but everyone is not the same. The Honourable Minister believes that he could prove his innocence while still in office but it is very hard to try to influence the investigation when you are occupying a very powerful office.

Honourable Rotimi Amaechi should step aside and open himself to investigation if and when he is invited by the anti-graft agencies in the course of their investigation of the allegation levelled against him by the Supreme Court justices. I feel people who hold public offices should be encouraged to open themselves to investigation whenever they are accused of serious allegations. Since the judges have strongly come out to say that the Minister approached them to do injustice in the handling of the matter tabled before them and he also attempted to bribe them, I think the Minister should step aside and expose himself to investigation.

If the matter is thoroughly investigated and cleared, then he takes back his position. I remember when he was accused of corruption, then he was not a Minister yet and he went to the National Assembly to defend himself. I am sure indeed he was not accused of corruption then and during that time, a panel was set up to investigate and he was cleared and no evidence was presented to be contrary but he was not appointed as the Minister then but now that he is occupying a high position in the country and the allegation is coming up, I think the reasonable thing to do is to resign from office.


http://shipsandports.com.ng/amaechi-resign-transport-minister/

Three people were reported deceased while 12 were missing after two vessels collided off the coast of Indonesia’s East Java province, according to Indonesian National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas).

The vessels which took part in the collision are the local fishing boat Mulya Sejati, which sank afterwards, and the Vietnamese bulk carrier MV Thaison 4.

The incident occurred in the evening hours on November 19 while the two vessels were in the waters off Turban.

The authorities continue to search for the missing seafarers with the assistance of the Indonesian naval forces, however, the search and rescue efforts are being hampered by unfavorable weather conditions in the area.


http://shipsandports.com.ng/3-dead-12-missing-collision-off-indonesia/

President Muhammadu Buhari has appealed to the people of the Niger Delta to embrace peace and focus on agriculture for sustainable economic development and wealth creation.

Buhari urged them to take advantage of the huge potential in agriculture and stop the destruction of oil and gas pipelines which only served to destroy the country’s ecosystem and economy.

The President, represented by the Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Heineken Lokpobiri, made the appeal on Saturday at the 20th anniversary of Nigerian Agip Oil Company’s Green River Project Farmers Day in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.

He said, “I wish to acknowledge the unrelenting efforts of the Nigerian Agip Oil Company, which, in its bid to prove that oil production and agriculture can coexist, has for the past 29 years supported its host communities to focus on agriculture through the GRP, a corporate social responsibility initiative which has resulted in sustainable development in these communities.”


http://shipsandports.com.ng/buhari-begs-militants-stop-destroying-oil-pipelines/

President Muhammadu Buhari has appealed to the people of the Niger Delta to embrace peace and focus on agriculture for sustainable economic development and wealth creation.

Buhari urged them to take advantage of the huge potential in agriculture and stop the destruction of oil and gas pipelines which only served to destroy the country’s ecosystem and economy.

The President, represented by the Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Heineken Lokpobiri, made the appeal on Saturday at the 20th anniversary of Nigerian Agip Oil Company’s Green River Project Farmers Day in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.

He said, “I wish to acknowledge the unrelenting efforts of the Nigerian Agip Oil Company, which, in its bid to prove that oil production and agriculture can coexist, has for the past 29 years supported its host communities to focus on agriculture through the GRP, a corporate social responsibility initiative which has resulted in sustainable development in these communities.”

Apapa, Lagos seaport city and home to West Africa’s biggest seaports, including Nigeria’s premier seaport, the Lagos Port Complex, Apapa and Tin Can Island Port is losing its nightlife. In this report, SAMSON ECHENIM writes that the buzzing night of clubbing and the red streets hitherto associated with Apapa are waning.



As at 8pm when a city’s nightlife is beginning to set in, Apapa is already on anti-clock wise, leaving one to wonder what has happened to the city. No thanks to the recessive economy in which the country has found itself and the bad roads leading to the ports. Driving into the city from Western Avenue, one is greeted with an already lonely road, creating an impression that things have really changed with the old Lagos town.

As it is with other port cities of the world, Apapa used to have a buzzing night life helped by freight forwarders, customs agents, dockworkers and seafarers who manage to find their way into the city having somehow sneaked out of their vessels to have a feel of the city. The city never disappointed.

But today, the prostitutes who have played a major role in providing the needed leisure and sexual entertainment to players in the import-export chain are only managing to hang around, as many of their age-long customers have either been forced out of business, or are currently in economic hibernation.

When this reporter visited Apapa on Friday night, the city left a huge difference from what it was when the same reporter stayed to have a feel of the city’s night life in October 2014. Back then, the weekend peaked up on Friday night, with the various relaxation and drinking joints parading musical performances for their customers’ pleasure. By 10 pm, when the musical entertainment picked up, one could barely resist the temptation of spending the night in the port city.

There are a number of such night joints on Kalakuta Street and the adjuncts of Wharf Road and Eleganza Complex. A few places habouring prostitutes could be located on Burma Road, Payne Crescent and some adjuncts streets exiting on Warehouse Road. Today, only Payne Crescent, having the largest number of clubs and brothels and Kalakuta Street, with its Domino Pizza, Kingston Jones, Stephanie’s and Hot Fun Café, a computer games and gambling place, manage to retain some night life.

Callers at the drinking joints and some workers, including prostitutes whom the reporter engaged in brief chats to determine the cause of the Wharf city’s low tone, blamed the economic recession and the bad port access roads, which they said was putting people away from Apapa at night.

As at 10pm, one of the night joints visited by the reporter refused to reach peak. The place was scanty and the musical corner lay lonely like an orphan. When the reporter casually inquired from a close customer why the place was still dull as at 10pm on a Friday night, the customer slammed, “Buhari,” implying that the current economic situation was responsible.

But he said further when engaged, “First of all, I think the situation of the economy is the reason for the low tone of Apapa right now, especially at night. For example, the level of imports coming into the country has gone down seriously and this means that lesser number of dockworkers, seafarers and clearing agents are coming around. And those who have businesses to do are not making money to readily spend on leisure.”



But a staff of one of the joints on Kalakuta Street, who simply gave his name as Jude said, “The problem is the road. Now, Tin Can is no longer motorable and you know that our place is on the side of Tin Can. Most of our customers were people who have jobs at Tin Can Port and a lot of people used to come into Apapa through Tin Can, but now, they have been cut off because the road is completely out of service.”

Back at the brothels, the women of easy virtue are adopting unusual measures to remain in business and make ends meet. The prostitutes have become the proverbial Eneke the bird who said ‘since men have learnt to shoot without missing, she has learnt to fly without perching.’

At one of the brothels on Payne Crescent, a young slim fair complexioned lady in her early 20s, who gave her name simply as Precious was handy to receive the reporter to her room, but the reporter broke the flow with a couple of questions, which made the prostitute somehow uncomfortable as she struggled to provide answers to the questions after the reporter got her settled on a table with him.

Over here, several young ladies in their early 20s of various colour shades available on an African soil loiter around in the club/bar, obviously seeking the attention of the few men around. The reporter’s dress sense may have made him stand out as an unusual attender, making more ladies, pretending to be Precious’ friends to come around the table where the reporter sat with Precious, having offered her a small bottle of Guinness Stout and taken a bottle of Star lager beer for himself.

Precious’ very fair skin made her stood out among the girls and also formed a basis for initial discussion with the reporter.

“With your colour and beauty, one would mistakenly take you for an European. May be you should think about taking your games up to Europe; you could naturally fit in,” the reporter retorted.

Precious, with a smile said, “Thank you. But do you know if I have been there before?”

Lost for words, the reporter looked into her eyes briefly and asked, “Have you been to Europe before?”

“Yes. In fact, I returned a couple of months ago and I came to this place just last month. I actually don’t want some other people’s help to go back to Europe again; I want to get there by my personal efforts,” she said.

Precious is a reserved person, not wanting to say more about herself, especially regarding circumstances that caused her repatriation from Italy, as she later revealed the country she lived for two years, engaging in prostitution, before Italian authorities sent her back to Nigeria.

But further uneasy discussion amidst the loud dancehall music from a pair of heavily bass old speakers in the narrowly structured club appended up on the brothel building looking halfway like a penthouse, Precious revealed she is from Edo State and a university drop out.

She said she abandoned her programme as a 200 level student of Theatre Arts, University of Benin in 2013 to travel to Italy on the advice of friend and some family members. Having seen life in Italy for just two years, Precious, who gave her local name as Osareme remained bent to return to Europe. She would this time go by air and land in Austria, as Italian authorities would have her no more.

night-club

She however lamented that her plans appear more to be hitting the brick, as “business has been very bad.”

An apparently jealous lady, Precious was not pleased to watch this reporter jot some points while with her in his phone. At a time when she felt the reporter was more like looking at another lady, she asked him: “should I call her for you?”

Her friends, perhaps wondering what she kept discussing with the reporter instead of taking him to the room have formed a ring nearby, gossiping and often looking at the reporter, as one of them jostled down to get a key from Precious.

She later said they both share one corner of a room, where they alternate use depending on who is having a male guest.

“Well, this is what we are doing now to be able to raise our rents to management of the brothel every week. We have to share a corner of a room. When I first came, I was using a corner of a room alone, but the management suggested that we become two so that we can pay, because they complained that the girls are not paying their weekly rents,” she said.

The arrangement leaves four prostitutes using a room, as a room is divided into two sides, each side forming a corner as seen in some public university hostels.

She confessed she didn’t like the accommodation arrangement and said she might have to leave the brothel for another one in Lekki soon.

At a neighbouring brothel, but popularly referred to as a club on one of the adjoining streets to the Eleganza Complex, the management is making desperate efforts to attract male guests, as inside the club is laced with television sets showing adult films. This one is quite old and habours older ladies. Some of the ladies here, unlike the one on Payne Crescent, are big and around their late 20s and early 30s. The ladies here come cheaper, but as at 12 midnight, the place is better described as deserted.

Chioma received the reporter with a broad smile. A rather short and small bodied but well figured lady in her late 20s, Chioma is friendly and was willing to give her body for whatever amount the reporter could offer, if “up to N1,000.”

Chioma also complained of “bad market,” saying she had not got even one male guest since the beginning of the day.

Perhaps, the only person who made a positive remark about his situation is Sule, the suya man on Payne Crescent who found a stand between the two clubs facing each other on that street. He said Buhari’s administration has brought him favour, as he got current suya stand during the time “Baba’s government,” as he wrapped his Indian hemp readying for smoking.

“Ah, Baba’s time favours me because it is during his time that I got this place where I am selling suya now. I don’t sell plenty, but I am selling; people are buying bits by bits,” he said.

The load of young men of northern extract, who were known for selling aphrodisiac drugs appeared to have gone out of business. Perhaps, regulators have worked them out of business as no one was seen hawking the sex drugs.

On the entrance to the middle of Payne Crescent where the clubs are situated, were a couple of women selling gins packed in small sachets and small bottles. This spot was livened up by other women selling Indomie as quick late dinner, or early breakfast for guests who patronize the neighbouring clubs and for sight seers like this reporter.

Somehow, this Indomie spot manages to usher one into what is now left of Apapa’snight life.


http://shipsandports.com.ng/recession-apapa-wharf-prostitutes-device-survival-measures-lagos-port-city-loses-night-life/