Maritime Police Arrest Two CMA-CGM Staff for Forgery, Extortion of Port Users

Operatives of the Maritime Police Command, Lagos on Tuesday 2nd April, 2024 arrested two suspects for the offences of Conspiracy, Forgery of Maritime Police Command official/investigation documents, Impersonation of the Command, Blackmailing and Extortion of unsuspecting members of the public doing businesses at the nation’s ports.

The two suspects who are staffs of CMA-CGM Nigeria Limited based in Lagos are the Customer Service Manager, Gbenga Solomon, aged, 48years and Erhimu Igho, aged, 59 years.

The duo were arrested after a complaint was lodged at the Maritime Police Command headquarters that some containers were blocked with purported documents from the Command contrary to the directives of the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG), Maritime Police Command, AIG Olofu A. Rhoda, who on assumption of office as the AIG Maritime Police Command in November 2023 ordered the immediate release of all containers blocked or placed on lien at the ports without cogent reasons, this was to give effect to the Federal Government’s policy on Ease of doing Businesses at the country’s seaports . She warned that blocking of containers should be based only on credible information.

Investigation however revealed that these suspects conspired and forged Maritime Police Command’s official documents, impersonated Police officers of Maritime Command and blocked over 20 containers with four bills of lading for purposes of extorting money from the consignee and clearing agents.

The suspects have since been charged to Court and remanded in Prison custody.

Public Relations Officer of the command, ASP Ehinmode Rowland Adewumi said in a statement that AIG Olofu Rhoda frowns at this unwholesome, fraudulent and criminally minded individuals and hereby warns all those who are in the habit of perpetrating these types of criminality and other forms of illegalities at the Ports to desist from such as the full wrath of the law will be meted on anyone found culpable.

“Furthermore, the AIG advised all law abiding citizens especially port users to always verify from the Maritime Command the authenticity of any purported Investigation Activities or Container Blockage letters to ascertain whether they emanated from the Command or not as the Command operates an open door policy” he said