Apapa N100m bribe traced to Navy officer’s account

LEADERSHIP of the Nigerian Navy has been astounded after allegedly finding over N100 million in the bank account of an officer (name and position withheld) who amassed the colossal sum from bribes collected at Apapa Port environs as a security personnel responsible for the truck call-up management.
The officer was said to have been caught allowing irregular movement of trucks on the Apapa Bridge after receiving bribes, the senior officer who caught him rebuked him but the junior was unruly and his actions were reported to the Nigerian Navy disciplinary units.
It was during the investigation of the junior officer for insubordination that hundreds of millions was found in his bank account and the figure is believed to be proceeds of bribes collected by the officer.
The officer who was assigned to the hotspot by the NNS Beecroft Commander confessed that he had been collecting N50,000 per truck from those who transit the Apapa Bridge.
The officer also confessed to having stayed on the juicy duty post for over one year on account of liquid returns to his superiors on weekly basis.
The investigation was directed by the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Ibok-EteIbas who was alarmed by the degree of indiscipline in the service. This investigation is also believed to have necessitated the recent general redeployment exercise in the Navy which saw the redeployment of the NNS Beecroft Commander as well as 31 other Rear Admirals across the service.
Commodore I.A Shettima replaced Commodore Okon Eyo as the Commanding officer, Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Beecroft recently.
A Naval officer who revealed this to newsmen also alleged that the erring officer had been settling several Rear Admirals as well as some highly placed persons in the presidency.
Our source alleged that the senior Naval officers have been involved in the settlement process which include certain sums given to President Muhammadu Buhari’s principal Aide in the Presidency (name withheld).
Port stakeholders have lamented that the corruption at the ports was the reason all efforts to solve the Apapa Port access road crisis have been futile over the years.
Recall that the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) recently accused the Nigerian Navy of complicity in the traffic situation in and around the Lagos Ports thereby adding to the cost taking out cargo from the ports and returning of empty containers back to the ports.
The Vice President of the association, Kayode Farinto accused the Nigerian Navy officers who head the taskforce teams on traffic decongestion of extorting as much as N150,000 from the truckers and later reducing the amount to N80,000. He also revealed that the association wrote to officially invite the Commander of the NNS Beecroft requesting for a meeting between the association and the Nigerian Navy.
However, when contacted, the spokesperson of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Beecroft, Charles Brinemigha denied having knowledge of the development.