The inauguration of 20 fuel tanker wagons meant for the haulage of petroleum products through the railway system was foiled yesterday after a senior executive of Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) stopped offload of the tankers from the ship due to some dangerous cargoes believed to be explosives onboard the ship.
The federal government had imported the tankers from China to kick start haulage of petrol and other refined oil products from the seaports to ease the roads of burden, believed to be responsible for the country’s fast dwindling road infrastructure.
But having arrived at the Apapa Port Greenview Terminal managed by the Dangote Group for the inauguration of the wagons, the minister of transport, Sen. Idris Umar was held down in the car for over 30 minutes, as the NIMASA’s deputy director for maritime safety and standards, Capt Warriddi Enisuoh explained why the tankers could no longer be offloaded from the ship.
Concerned over his safety, the transport minister had to abandon the inuaguration of the tankers.
As explanations were being made to the minister, LEADERSHIP gathered that the Nigeria Police Force claimed to have imported part of the arms, even as a call put through to the Police Affairs Ministry did not yield any result.
?
Read more later