Maritime
Passengers Decry Fare Hike To Bonny, Bille, Others
Passengers travelling to riverine communities in Rivers State have decried the increase in transport fare occasioned by the recent removal of oil subsidy by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The hike, which some passengers described as inhuman has been condemned, calling on President Goodluck Jonathan to revert back to the oil subsidy.
The passengers who decried the sudden increase in the transport fare to their communities in the riverine areas of the state however said they are to blame the Government for its action that had caused the hike.
Our Correspondent, who was at some of the Jetties in Port Harcourt observed that some passengers were not happy over the development but had to travel at all cost.
Mrs Blessing Amaechi, a nurse with St. Charles Clinic Bonny said she travelled out of Bonny to her home town in Abia for a burial on the 10th December 2011, only to come back now with her two children and be stranded at the Jetty as she had only N1,700 that is for her transport alone.
Mrs Amaechi said she paid N800 the trio were leaving when but now they (Boat drivers) said the children should pay N1,700, and that all efforts to plead with the drivers proved abortive and she could not leave her children at the jetty and travel to Bonny alone as she is to resume duty.
“I need help and I pray God will reward that person that would help us to reach Bonny,” she said, and lamented that the increase is unfair”.
Also, a youth corper serving at a Secondary School at Abalamabie, Emeka Uwa said he just went home for the two weeks holiday and came back from Lagos to observe that the transport fare had increased to N1,700 and he had less than that amount with him, hoping to survive when he gets to the school through the allowances paid which is not even enough but to give their best as national service, describing the situation as quite unfortunate.
He appealed to the Federal Government to see to the plight of the teeming masses and especially corpers, who should be given preferential treatment.
In his statement, the Vice Chairman of Bonny Marine Drivers Association, Mr. Ayiba-Preye Misongo has this to say, “Actually the increase in fare is not our making as we were formerly collecting N1,200 but only added N500.00.
when there was fuel scarcity following the Federal Government’s removal of the oil subsidy.
According to him, “Although the passengers are gambling as the money on them could not take them to their destinations, and some refused to pay on the first day the increase was made but now they are trying to adjust themselves, but some are seeking for help from people to travel because they had less than the transportation charged”.
Mr. Markson Kuromi, traveling from Port Harcourt to Nembe in Bayelsa State by boat said the suffering of the people is pitiable as they now pay N3,050 instead of the normal fare of N2,000, but since there is no alterative, we have to pay and travel for our businesses.
Mr. Kuromi, however supported the removal of the oil subsidy, saying “let us suffer and enjoy later like Ghana. Things will be better if people exercise patience with the plans of the government”.
A private boat owner, ThankGod Job simply said he used 40 litres of fuel to and from Bille at the cost of N6,000 but it is now sold at N10,000, and that he is not aware of how much passengers pay to Bille now.
At Marine Base, Port Harcourt, The Tide gathered that there had been consultations between the Council Chairman, Hon. Tamuno Williams and the executive of Speed Boat Owners on the increase, which they finally agreed to add only N50.00 to the N200 they have been collecting with effect from yesterday while at Abonnema Wharf, Mrs Daba Dokubo, who was traveling to Bakana complained that with the increase in transport fare from N3,000 to N3,600, it is going to affect cost of goods and every aspect of life, and also appealed to the Federal Government to rescind its action as the people at the grassroot would be badly affected. “Let the President consider the poor people because not all can afford this amount,” he further appealed.
Collins Barasimeye
The Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Maritime Command, AIG Yusuf Garba, has charged the officers and men of the command to wake up from their slumber and embrace the IGP’s directive on zero tolerance for corruption.
AIG Garba emphasised that the feat could be achieved through collaboration with sister agencies and members of the public.
A statement by the Police Public Relations Officer of the command, ASP Okoi Arikpo, stated that the police boss also charged the officers on the importance of being prudent and proactive in the line of duty.
He also charged officers and men to be neat while on duty, reminding them of the need to always be punctual on duty as absenteeism from duty resulting in any lapses will not be taken lightly.
“He reminded the officers of the resuming, 30 minutes before the actual time of resumption as it is in the Police Act and regulations.
Recall that the AIG, who recently took charge of the command, has always harped on the integrity of the force.
Customs Area Controller of Seme Border Command, Dr. Ben Aramalagu, has demonstrated his resolve to keep the pace at the foremost Nigeria’s border, raking in a total of N743.728 million as revenue in February 2025 alone.
Within the three weeks of resumption, Dr. Aramalagu made seizures worth N267.054 million (duty paid value), a feat that shows the command’s resolve to continue to deliver even under a new leadership.
The seizures comprise 444 parcels of cannabis sativa, 181 packs of tramadol, 600 bottles of codeine syrup (100ml), 240 kegs of Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS).
Others are 1,809 bags of foreign parboiled rice (50kg each), 17 sacks of used shoes, 56 bales of used clothes, and 203 pieces of used tyres that were attempted to be brought into Nigeria through unapproved routes.
Speaking to newsmen while displaying the seizures, Aramalugu said the command’s emphasis will be on unapproved routes where smugglers attempt to bring in what he described as un-customs goods either to evade duty payment or illegally import things on the Federal Government’s import prohibited list.
Aramalagu said the customs under its current Comptroller General, Adewale Bashir Adeniyi, will not relent in meeting the Federal Government’s demand for more revenue in the non-oil sector, including customs duty collection.
He emphasised that the command will not relent in enforcing maximum collection of all revenue due to the Federal Government through duty collection and seizing contraband goods in line with relevant law establishing the customs and its functions.
In his words, “these seizures, which contravene relevant section of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2003 (NCSA 22) reaffirm our commitment to suppressing smuggling within the Seme Border”.
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has uncovered a $1.4 million fraudul syndicate, led by Mr. Ikoro Mang Ifendu, who impersonated the agency’s officials to scam foreign companies, using fake regulatory documents.
The Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, while addressing newsmen on Friday, disclosed that Ifendu, 52, from Abia State, was arrested on February 7, 2025, at Ogborn Hills, Aba area of the state, in a case of alleged fraud and obtaining huge funds by false pretence from unsuspecting foreigners across various countries, while posing as a staff of the agency.
She said, “He is a native of Amamba Village, Abiriba in Ohafia LGA, Abia State.
“His level of education is SSCE and deals in clothing materials. The suspect is in our custody and is cooperating with the investigation.
“This case was reported by Thani Almaeeni Trading Group, Abu Dhabi, UAE following their application to register Dry Fish (Seafood).
“Thani Almaeeni Trading Group, Abu Dhabi, UAE, and other companies from various countries fell victim to this fraud.
In a petition from Thani Almaeeni Trading Group, reported to NAFDAC of the possible impersonation of the fraudsters as NAFDAC’s officials, using the NAFDAC’s letterhead and name.
“The fraudsters, headed by Mr. Ikoro Mang Ifendu, have duped the company thousands of dollars and millions of naira.
“These fraudsters or syndicate operate in a three-pronged scheme involving the Buyer, Bank, and Lawyer.
“Initially, the buyer contacts foreign companies to purchase and import goods into Nigeria. Subsequently, they introduce these companies to any of these banks for payment.
“The bank then declares that due to the lack of NAFDAC approval, the foreign companies are unable to export to Nigeria. Afterward, a legal counsel is introduced to the companies, claiming that they can obtain NAFDAC Certificate through this lawyer.
“The lawyer then receives payments in stages and issues fraudulent receipts and counterfeit of NAFDAC certificates to the companies.”
Mrs. Adeyeye said the agency’s investigation revealed that the group operates 15 domiciliary and 5 local accounts in 7 Nigerian banks.
She noted that the account in one of the banks has a Bank Verification Number (BVN) that is being used by the 2 key members of the group, Ikoro Mang Ifendu and Rosemary Obosi.
“The exact number of the Accounts have not been established, because the suspect had deleted some of the Accounts and the alert messages.
“The tentative cumulative inflow from different victims into the Domiciliary Accounts in Nigeria is estimated to be over $950,000USD, while the sum of $450,000USD is the estimated inflow into the accounts held offshore in Cotonou, Benin Republic.
srl, for registration of products with NAFDAC; Tianyan Filter Cloth Co. Ltd, Gonghexin Road, Jingan District, Shanghai, China; Siam Canadian China Ltd., Frozen Onion Spices, Zhanjiang Guangdong, China.”
The DG continued: “After exhausting the link to falsification of NAFDAC regulated products, this case will be transferred to EFCC for further investigation.
“This is to expand the investigation to other areas that are not within the mandate of NAFDAC. The investigation will also invoke POCA on all the assets illegally acquired in the course of the fraudulent activities.”
Adeyeye disclosed that the regulatory body has strengthened the activities of Investigation and Enforcement and Federal Task Force by reconstituting and changing the architecture and increasing the number of Investigating Police Officers of the Police Squad and Mobile Police attached to the Agency.
“The Honourable Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare will soon inaugurate the reconstituted Federal Task Force and by extension the State Task Forces to compliment the activities of the Agency in the States,” she stated.
The NAFDAC boss urged the public not to transact business with any company that parades itself as a consulting firm for registration of products.\
By: Stories by Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos