…As Stakeholders beg Senate to Scratch beyond the Surface***

Nigerians may have to open their eyes wider, and Senate pays closer attention to the imbroglio between the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Ocean Marine Solutions Limited (OMSL), following allegation by the NPA that it’s Managing Director was harassed by rented thugs, even as the OMSL says it neither hired thugs, nor even sighted such thugs around the Senate area on the day.

Industry watchers have subsequently urged the Senate not only to seek, obtain and make footage available, but also to confirm the veracity of the claim, and the renter of the thugs, if any.

Observed an industry watcher: “When one person says thugs harrased me, suspecting a particular party; and the other says, I didn’t hire thugs and there were no thugs in the vicinity; both the claimant and the perceived offender must be given same level of scrutiny.

“Party ‘B’ could hire ‘C’ to harrass ‘A’. Party ‘A’ could also hire ‘C’ to harrass himself and emotionally attract leverage.

What is more, Party ‘Q’ could also hire ‘C’ to harrass ‘A’ so as to muddle things up for ‘B’.

“But the issue becomes more interesting when party ‘B’ says, there were no thugs in sight at the particular scene!”, the industry watcher said, pleading that the Senate must scratch beyond the surface, stressing that he has a lot of respect for both the NPA and the OMSL.

Meanwhile, the OMSL management has debunked any knowledge or involvement in the physical attack of the Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Ms. Hadiza Bala Usman, at the National Assembly.

NPA boss Ms. Hadiza Usman petitioned the President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmad Lawan alleging that she was physically attacked by hoodlums at the premises of the National Assembly in Abuja on Tuesday.

She also allegedly claimed that her attack was sponsored by Chairman of Messrs Ocean Maritime Solutions Limited (OMSL), captain Wells Osunboh, apparently over the decision of the NPA on the Secure Anchorage issue after attending investigative hearing in the Assembly.

She said that she was only saved a bigger assault by her security agents who took her into Senator Danjuma Goje’s office where she waited for the hoodlums to leave.

However, in a swift reaction, an Officer and a Gentleman, Commodore Adogu (retired) who is the OMSL General Manager, Business Development and Government Relations debunked the allegation, describing it as  utter falsehood and a figment of imagination.

Identifying the OMSL Chairman, Captain Wells Osunboh, as a fine gentlemen who has served the nation diligently in various capacities, the Commodore stressed that Capt. Osunboh could not have sponsored thugs to attack the NPA boss.

Also read:  NPA, OMS and SAA: Between national interest and politics

He also noted further that on that very Tuesday, there was no any sign of such alleged attack or rented crowd in the premises of the National Assembly that could warrant such allegation, maintaining that OMLS Management came to the National Assembly just like other invited organizations on the day of the investigation by the Joint Committee of the Senate investigating the Secure Anchorage Area (SAA).

‘’On the day of the investigation at the National Assembly, we came like other invited organizations and we never came with any thugs or rented crowd to harass anybody talkless of the Managing Director of NPA.

“The security at the premises of the National Assembly was very tight as everybody was routinely checked and controlled while entering thus forestalling any rented crowd or thugs to gain entrance. We came before the panel and presented our position in the SAA without nursing hatred against anyone.

‘’Let me make it clear to the Nigerian public that OMSL is a responsible corporate organization with a lot of Nigerians working as its employees.

“We are mindful of this and never can we trade it away.  I repeat, we do not have hands nor did our chairman sponsor any group of thugs to attack Ms. Hadiza Bala Usman,’’ he submitted.

The ball is probably moving faster than the referee.  Curious Nigerians deserve a footage!