Former Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Port Manager, Sylvester Egede, has denied allegations of corruption levelled against him, describing them as false and a deliberate attempt to tarnish his reputation following his retirement from the civil service.
Egede said the allegations surfaced after a tenure focused on resolving long-standing operational challenges at the Lagos ports, highlighting the 2024 clearance of the port access road, which had been plagued by traffic gridlock for over 23 years.
According to him, the intervention restored traffic flow and brought relief to businesses, transporters and residents operating around the port corridor.
“It is curious that after solving a 23-year problem and exiting service, an anonymous report is now being used to tarnish my image,” he said.
In a formal rejoinder issued through his solicitor, Christopher Thompson of Christopher I. Thompson & Co., Egede rejected all allegations of corruption and financial impropriety, insisting he served the NPA with diligence and integrity.
He challenged anyone with credible evidence of wrongdoing to present it to the appropriate anti-graft or investigative agencies for due process.
The rejoinder also dismissed claims that a First Bank account linked to Egede recorded a one-off transaction of N511 million, stating that the account, used primarily for salary-related transactions, had never reflected such turnover.
It further denied allegations that Egede or members of his family operated any network of naira or dollar accounts for illicit financial activities.
The Lagos port access roads have long been associated with severe congestion and operational bottlenecks. Stakeholders credited efforts during Egede’s tenure with significantly improving traffic flow along the corridor.
The NPA had not issued an official response to the allegations as of the time of filing this report.
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