The Tin-Can Island and RORO Ports Police Command, Lagos, said on Friday that lack of operational patrol vehicles, manpower and communication gadgets had affected its operations at the port.
Mr Olusegun Ajamolaya, Divisional Police Officer, made the disclosure when the Commissioner of Police, Western Port, Mr Kayode Aderanti, visited the command.
Ajamolaya said that the command had no patrol vehicle in the last five years except the one it received from MRS Oil and Gas Ltd.
He said the Nigerian Ports Authority had requested from stakeholders as part of their corporate social responsibility for vehicles for the command only MRS Oil and Gas responded to the call.
He added that the command needed more officers due to the dearth of manpower at the command.
“The recent demobilisation of personnel of the command has affected its manpower to cover vulnerable spots.
“The total strength of RORO division is now 65 and five are sent to the command headquarters every week on special duties.
“Twelve out of the 65 cannot bear arms or deployed on night duties for reasons of their gender,’’ the divisional police officer said.
He said that the same problem was applicable to the Tin Can Island division as 10 out of the 54 manpower could not bear arms.
He appealed to the commissioner to look into the distribution of personnel in the command to address the shortfall.
Ajamolaya said the command lacked communication gadgets, poor power and poor water supply and kits.
He said that in spite of the challenges the officers and men would continue perform their duties.
He urged the commissioner to raise the challenges again during an interactive meeting with maritime stakeholders and the Nigeria Ports Authority.
Responding, the commissioner said that communication gadgets were imported tools of operation and that the officers did not need to request for them before they were provided.
Aderanti said it was regrettable that there were no operational serviceable vehicles for the police officers to work with.
“It is a sensitive environment. I don’t think we should operate at the port without the necessary tools. We are supposed to have an adequate communication network at the port,” he said.
Aderanti added that the problem of shortage of manpower at the command would be solved soon.
He urged the officers and men to exhibit high level of professionalism in the performance of their duties. [NAN]
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