Herald News

The Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Mr. Arsenio Dominguez, has commended Nigeria for its remarkable achievements in maritime safety, security, and environmental protection through the effective implementation of IMO instruments. In a letter dated October 9, 2025, and addressed to the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Mr. Dominguez praised the Agency’s ongoing efforts—especially the Deep Blue Project, which he described as a “major success” in reducing piracy within Nigeria’s territorial waters and the wider Gulf of Guinea.  “I was particularly pleased to see first-hand the important work being undertaken by NIMASA to strengthen Nigeria’s maritime administration and to advance the effective implementation of IMO instruments,” Mr. Dominguez wrote. He noted that NIMASA’s dedication to improving maritime safety, security, and environmental standards reflects Nigeria’s strong alignment wit...

Tincan Island Port Command of  Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), has intercepted a massive consignment of illicit drugs concealed inside imported vehicles found in two 40-foot containers, with a combined street value at  ₦5.3 billion. The announcement was made by the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller F.O. Onyeka, during a press briefing held at the Command  in Lagos recently According to Controller, the first container  numbered HLXU8500072 was intercepted on September 4, 2025, following meticulous intelligence gathering and coordinated operational efforts by officers of the Tincan Island Port Command. The container, which originated from Montreal, Canada, carried Bill of Lading No. HLCUTOR2506000834 and contained four vehicles. Upon joint examination by the NCS and other security agencies, officers discovered 156 packets of Colorado Indica (a strain of cannabis) weighing 78 kilograms, and 1.2 kilograms of Hashish Oil concealed within the vehicles. A seco...

The Lagos Area Office of National Inland Water Authority (NIWA) has deployed a specialized task force, equipped with heavy-duty machinery including swamp devils, harvesters, and other essential equipment. The team has already begun preliminary clearing operations around Ebute Ikorodu and the Ikpakodo ferry terminal to ensure the waterways remain safe, navigable, and obstruction-free. In  determined effort to safeguard boat transportation and other maritime activities in Lagos’ littoral communities, the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has launched a major operation to clear water hyacinth buildup along the Ikorodu axis. According to Lagos Area Manager of NIWA, Engr. Sarat Braimah, , the deployment is a proactive measure aimed at maintaining uninterrupted boat and ferry operations in the Ikorodu waterways — a zone that often suffers from recurring infestations of the invasive aquatic weed. “We have carefully studied the pattern and spread of the water hyacinth ...

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Seme Area Command, has facilitated the export of goods valued at ₦7.97 billion within one month, reaffirming its critical role in advancing Nigeria’s non-oil export agenda and regional trade integration along the Lagos–Abidjan corridor. This was disclosed by the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller AO Adenuga, during his maiden media briefing held at the COWA Complex, Seme Border, on Wednesday, October 9, 2025. Adenuga revealed that between September 1 and October 9, 2025, the Command processed the export of 53,989.46 metric tonnes of goods, attracting ₦39.86 million in Nigeria Export Supervision Scheme (NESS) fees. The exports comprised agricultural produce and manufactured goods — a clear demonstration of the renewed confidence of exporters in the Seme Border as a viable trade hub under the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS).  “This performance is a reflection of the Comptroller-General of Customs’ strategic vision anchored on...

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has taken another bold step toward advancing intelligence-driven border management, as it kicked off a five-day National Training Seminar on Intelligence and the Instruments and Tools of the World Customs Organisation (WCO) on Monday, October 6, 2025, in Abuja. The training, organised under the Regional Intelligence Liaison Offices (RILO) for West and Central Africa, brought together senior customs intelligence officers, international facilitators, and WCO experts. The programme aims to deepen participants’ understanding of modern enforcement techniques, data analysis, and intelligence-sharing mechanisms that support national and regional security. Representing the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, at the opening ceremony, the Deputy Comptroller-General (DCG) in charge of Strategic Research and Policy, Dera Nnadi, described intelligence as “the cornerstone of modern border protection.” “In a world where illi...

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has reaffirmed its dedication to service excellence and stakeholder satisfaction as it celebrates the 2025 Customer Service Week under the global theme, “Mission: Possible.” This annual observance reflects NIMASA’s ongoing mission to transform customer challenges into opportunities while strengthening its role as a key player in advancing the Nigerian maritime industry. Speaking during the official launch of the celebration,Director General. Dr. Dayo Mobereola  emphasized that effective service delivery lies at the heart of the Agency’s mandate. “Providing service is paramount, both internally and externally. We must remain prepared, committed, and available to solve problems together as a team. Excellence in service delivery defines who we are and what we represent,” Dr. Mobereola reiterated that teamwork, accountability, and continuous improvement remain crucial to sustaining insti...