Freight forwarders protest arbitrary shipping charges at Apapa ports

By: Zagazola Makama

The National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) has raised concerns over what it described as arbitrary and unilateral increases in shipping charges by some shipping companies at the Apapa ports in Lagos.

The grievances were contained in a letter addressed to the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers Council, Park Lane, Apapa, and copied to the Commissioner of Police, Ports Authority Police (Western Command), Apapa.

The letter, titled “Administrative Overreach: The Non-Consensual and Arbitrary Increase of Shipping Charges in Breach of Established Procedure and Protocol,” was received at about 2:30 p.m. on March 12.

Following the complaint, the Commissioner of Police, Ports Authority Police Western Command, Apapa, convened a meeting with the leadership of NAGAFF to discuss the issue.

Those in attendance included Mr Bert Okeke, Secretary and representative of the NAGAFF Chairman, Alhaji Ibrahim Tanko; Mr Uche Nwabude, Operational Head; and Chief Raf Nwoye, Technical Director at the association’s headquarters, alongside eight other members.

During the meeting, the NAGAFF leaders expressed dissatisfaction over the alleged immediate and unilateral upward review of shipping charges by some companies without prior notification to freight forwarders and other service users.

They described the development as a breach of established procedures guiding port operations and trade facilitation.

In her response, the Commissioner of Police, Ports Authority Police Western Command, commended the association for following due process by engaging relevant stakeholders and bringing the matter to the attention of authorities.

She urged the union leaders to remain law-abiding and advised them to notify the police and obtain approval before embarking on any picketing or protest actions.

The police chief also encouraged the association to suspend any planned industrial action pending efforts by the Nigerian Shippers Council to mediate and resolve the dispute.

She further called for sustained synergy, collaboration and consolidation between the police and stakeholders in the maritime sector to ensure smooth trade facilitation at the ports.

The meeting ended at about 3:25 p.m.

Freight forwarders protest arbitrary shipping charges at Apapa ports

“When two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers”- The Case of Iran Israel United States Conflict

By: Michael Mike

From the ancient Persian world to the Swahili coast of Africa, the story of Iran is not merely political—it is civilizational. The current conflict therefore raises questions not only about power, but about history, justice and humanity itself.

In Africa, a well-known proverb captures a timeless truth: “When two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers.” Across the wider African continent, this saying reminds us that when powerful actors collide, it is ordinary people—families, children and communities—who bear the greatest cost.

Today, as tensions escalate across West Asia and military strikes attributed to the United States and Israel target the Islamic Republic of Iran, the world is witnessing a confrontation that extends far beyond the calculations of geopolitics.

To strike Iran is not merely to confront a modern state. It is to challenge one of the oldest living civilizations on Earth—a civilization whose cultural, intellectual and spiritual influence has shaped vast regions of the world for more than three thousand years.

A Civilization Older Than the Modern World

Long before the modern geopolitical map of the Middle East existed, the Iranian plateau had already produced organized states, complex administrative systems and vibrant intellectual traditions.

From the Achaemenid Empire of Cyrus the Great to the flourishing cultural centers of Shiraz and Isfahan, Persian civilization helped shape literature, science, philosophy and political thought across the Mediterranean world, Central Asia and the Indian Ocean basin.

Unlike many later imperial powers whose expansion relied on colonization, resource extraction and the brutal transatlantic slave trade, Persia’s historical influence travelled largely through knowledge, trade and cultural exchange.

This legacy of interaction links Iran not only to Asia but also to Africa.

The Persian Handshake with Africa

Centuries before European colonial powers partitioned the African continent, Persian merchants were already sailing the monsoon winds of the Indian Ocean toward the Swahili coast.

They arrived not as conquerors but as traders, scholars and cultural intermediaries.

From present-day Somalia to Mozambique, Persian traders established networks of commerce and intellectual exchange with the Swahili city-states. Maritime knowledge, architecture, poetry and urban culture travelled across these routes alongside textiles and spices.

The interaction was never one-sided. African societies reshaped and integrated these influences into their own traditions, creating a distinctive Afro-Asian cultural synthesis that still characterizes the region today.

Even the Kiswahili language, rooted in Bantu linguistic traditions, reflects centuries of interaction with Persian and other Indian Ocean cultures.

In this sense, the story of Iran is not distant from Africa—it is intertwined with it.

The Islamic Revolution and the Ethics of Defending the Oppressed

In 1979, Iran once again became the stage for a unique historical transformation.

The Islamic Revolution did not attempt to erase Iran’s ancient past. Instead, it sought to frame a deeply rooted civilization within a moral vision centered on justice, independence and the defense of the oppressed.

Imam Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic, articulated a political philosophy that placed the protection of the Mustazafin—the oppressed and marginalized—at the heart of the revolution’s mission.

One of the most enduring expressions of this principle was his declaration of the last Friday of Ramadan as International Quds Day, inviting people around the world to remember the plight of the Palestinian people.

This ethical perspective continued under the leadership of Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei, who consistently framed the Palestinian question not merely as a geopolitical dispute but as a matter of moral responsibility and global justice.

For many observers, this unwavering support for Palestinian rights remains one of the central sources of tension between Iran and its adversaries.

Jerusalem: A Sacred City for Humanity

From the perspective of religious scholarship, Jerusalem—known in Arabic as Al-Quds—occupies a unique place in the spiritual geography of humanity.

It is sacred not only to Muslims but also to Christians and Jews.

Within its ancient walls stand some of the most revered sites of the Abrahamic traditions: Al-Aqsa Mosque, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, and the Western Wall.

For scholars of comparative religion, Jerusalem represents not an exclusive possession but a shared spiritual heritage.

The respected Christian leader Archbishop Desmond Tutu once captured this moral principle in words that resonate across faith traditions:

“If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.”

The Human Question of Self-Defense

Against this historical and moral background, the present conflict raises difficult questions.

Reports from the early days of the war describe devastating strikes, including the bombing of an elementary school in which 168 children between the ages of eight and twelve reportedly lost their lives.

Such tragedies challenge the conscience of the international community.

Under what interpretation of international law can the killing of children be justified?
Under which definition of human rights can such actions be normalized?

History already offers troubling precedents. In Gaza, years of conflict have resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of civilians.

Yet beyond statistics lies a simple human question.

If the Pope were assassinated in the Vatican, or if your own home were attacked and your father killed before your eyes, would any society remain silent?

Nations, like families, possess a natural instinct for self-defense. When confronted with aggression, the desire to resist is not extremism—it is dignity.

Strategic Consequences beyond Iran

The implications of this confrontation are unlikely to remain confined within Iran’s borders. History repeatedly shows that conflicts ignited in one part of the Middle East rarely remain geographically contained.

Military escalation against a major regional power such as Iran risks widening an already fragile landscape of instability across West Asia.

When the sovereignty of states can be openly violated and civilian infrastructure becomes a battlefield, the consequences rarely stop at a single frontier. They ripple outward—affecting regional security, global diplomacy and the fragile hopes of societies already burdened by decades of conflict.

Africa’s Moral Memory

For Africa, these questions are not abstract. The continent carries its own deep memory of colonial domination, resistance and the struggle for dignity.

The late South African leader Nelson Mandela expressed this moral connection clearly:

“We know too well that our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinians.”

Mandela’s words remind us that justice is indivisible.

From Johannesburg to Nairobi, from Tehran to Jerusalem, the principle remains the same: when a people stand against oppression, they defend not only territory but human dignity.

Cultural Expert
Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Abuja, Nigeria

“When two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers”- The Case of Iran Israel United States Conflict

Kidney health: Avoid excessive use of painkillers, expert urges Nigerians

By Hajara Usman

Mr Inuwa Mshelia, Chairman, National Association of Nephrology Nurses, Federal Teaching Hospital (FTH) Gombe Chapter, has urged Nigerians to avoid excessive consumption or use of painkillers as a way of improving their kidney health.

Mshelia who made the call during the commemoration of World Kidney Day on Thursday in Gombe said it was important for Nigerians to adopt preventive measures against kidney diseases.

He said that the World Kidney Day is observed every second Thursday of March to raise awareness about kidney health and the prevention of kidney-related diseases.

The expert said the sensitisation campaign was aimed to educate communities on the importance of early detection and proper management of kidney disease.

Mshelia said treatment for advanced kidney disease was capital-intensive, and many patients only seek medical help when the condition has already progressed to a severe stage.
“I urged members of the public to avoid excessive use of painkillers and to remain well hydrated by drinking adequate water; such lifestyle habits can help protect the kidneys.”
He added that individuals living with hypertension and diabetes are at higher risk and should regularly monitor their health.

Mshelia explained that kidney dialysis is very expensive, especially for patients who reached stage five of kidney failure, and many cannot afford the recommended dialysis sessions, which may be required up to three times a week.

He encouraged people to embrace preventive healthcare rather than waiting until the disease becomes severe.

The Nephrologist commended Usman Bello, the member representing Akko Federal Constituency, for sponsoring dialysis treatment for all patients throughout 2025.

He, however, appealed to wealthy individuals and philanthropists to support kidney patients who struggle to afford the cost of treatment.

Also speaking, Dr Alaya Rasheed, Senior Registrar in the Nephrology Department at FTH, said that over the past five years in Gombe, that kidney disease awareness campaigns are beginning to have a positive impact.

According to him, more patients are now seeking medical help earlier than before, which has improved their chances of managing the condition effectively.

Rasheed said that with proper treatment, health education and lifestyle changes, about 60 to 70 per cent of patients could slow the progression of kidney disease and may not quickly reach the stage where dialysis would be required.

“Many patients diagnosed early can remain stable for several years with proper medical care.

“However, kidney disease remains a growing concern in Nigeria.

“Current estimates indicate that between 10 and 19 per cent of Nigerians may have some form of kidney disease, meaning millions of people could be affected across the country,” Rasheed explained.

He stressed that kidney disease occurs in different stages and not all patients require dialysis or a kidney transplant, as many cases could be managed medically.

Rasheed highlighted the importance of early detection, prevention and improved access to healthcare services.

Some patients who spoke to our Correspondent in separate interviews said that paying about N75,000 for first session and subsequently N50,000 for dialysis has not been easy, more so when they required at least two to three sessions per week.

They called on well-meaning individuals to emulate Alhaji Usman Bello, who sponsored dialysis sessions throughout 2025.

Kidney health: Avoid excessive use of painkillers, expert urges Nigerians