By Omenihu Alfred fibmn
Dr Sir Eugene Nweke (ksm), a seasoned and in-depth maritime guru has charged maritime journalists to courageously deploy their investigative training in the coverage of the nation’s maritime sector in order to unearth on-going criminalities that threaten the economy.
Dr Nweke gave this instruction in Lagos while delivering a keynote lecture titled, ” Maritime Security, Trade facilitation and the Media : The role of the Media in curbing smuggling in Nigeria’s maritime corridor,” at the 2026 Annual General Meeting, Lectures and Awards of the Congress of Nigerian Maritime Media Practitioners ( CONMMEP).
According to Nweke who doubles as tthe Head of Research at the Sea Empowerment and Research Center (SEREC), such criminal activities as Smuggling, revenue leakages, systemic weaknesses within the sector etc can only be exposed through conscious investigations beyond mere official statements.
He described smuggling as one of the greatest threats to Nigeria’s economic development and internal security, which has evolved beyond the illegal movement of prohibited goods to include sophisticated criminal activities such as arms trafficking, narcotics smuggling, human trafficking, trade-based money laundering, fuel diversion, wildlife crimes and revenue evasion.
Nweke stated that every successful smuggling operation begins as an information failure before becoming a security failure. Using the analogy of an elderly Customs officer, he noted that “the greatest weapon of a smuggler is silence,” explaining that criminal networks thrive when citizens, institutions and journalists fail to report suspicious activities.
He stressed that the country’s maritime corridor remains central to international trade, accounting for the movement of a significant proportion of global commerce, but warned that the same corridor has increasingly become attractive to organised criminal syndicates due to the complexity of international supply chains and the volume of cargo handled at Nigerian ports.
Nweke said the consequences of smuggling extend beyond revenue losses, undermining local manufacturing through unfair competition, distorting national trade statistics, encouraging insecurity through the proliferation of illegal arms and ammunition, and exposing Nigerians to counterfeit medicines, substandard products and dangerous narcotics.
He urged maritime journalists to embrace investigative journalism as a preventive security tool rather than limiting coverage to press conferences, ceremonial events and official press releases.
In his words, “The true measure of journalism is not in reporting what powerful institutions say about themselves, but in uncovering what the public deserves to know,” he stated.
According to him, the maritime researcher identified several priority areas requiring sustained media investigation, including tracking budgetary allocations and execution across maritime agencies, examining port charges, demurrage, container deposits, exchange rate practices and tariff adjustments, while also exposing the financiers, syndicate leaders and international collaborators behind smuggling operations.
Nweke further advised Maritime journalists to investigate customs revenue leakages, abuse of waivers, trade fraud, cargo misclassification and under-declaration, arguing that celebrating revenue collections alone was insufficient without scrutinising areas where government earnings are lost.
He, also, advocated continuous public enlightenment campaigns to educate Nigerians on the economic and security implications of smuggling, stressing that an informed society is less susceptible to recruitment by criminal organisations.
Addressing emerging trends, he noted that smugglers now rely heavily on digital technologies, including encrypted communications, cryptocurrency transactions, electronic documentation fraud and cyber-enabled supply chain manipulation.
To effectively respond, he stated that maritime journalists must equally embrace artificial intelligence, satellite intelligence, cargo tracking systems, data journalism and digital investigative tools.
As Nigeria gradually moves towards another election cycle, Nweke warned of heightened risks associated with the movement of illicit arms, hard drugs, politically motivated contraband and illegal financial flows, urging the media to remain objective and place national security above political interests.
He maintained that the fight against smuggling cannot be won by the Nigeria Customs Service, the Nigerian Navy or intelligence agencies alone, insisting that journalists occupy a strategic position capable of influencing public accountability, policy reforms and national security outcomes.
In his welcome address, CONMMEP President, Udo Onyeka, said the association’s fifth Annual General Meeting marked another milestone in its growth since its establishment in 2021.
He hailed members for their commitment to promoting professionalism in maritime journalism and reaffirmed the Executive Council’s determination to strengthen the association’s contributions to the maritime industry.
Onyeka described the annual lecture as timely, noting that discussions on maritime security, trade facilitation and responsible journalism have become increasingly important in supporting economic development and protecting Nigeria’s maritime domain.
He added that the event also featured the presentation of CONMMEP Leadership Excellence Awards to distinguished personalities in recognition of their contributions to national development, leadership and humanitarian service.
Stakeholders at the gathering agreed that stronger collaboration between the media, regulators, security agencies and industry operators would be critical to tackling smuggling, enhancing trade integrity and promoting sustainable growth in Nigeria’s maritime sector.
