Opinion: Blackmail, Fear, and Corruption: How One Man is Holding Nigeria’s Maritime Industry Hostage

The Nigerian maritime industry, widely regarded as having the potential to be the nation’s second-largest income earner after oil, is facing a grave threat. This lucrative sector is being held hostage by a powerful cabal that has mastered the art of blackmail, extortion, and intimidation. At the center of this web of manipulation is a veteran of the media world, Asu Beks, whose unscrupulous tactics have crippled industry players and undermined public confidence.

Once hailed as a promising media professional, Beks, a product of the MKO Abiola Concord stable, now stands as a notorious figure in the maritime industry. While former colleagues like Dele Alake, Segun Adeniyi, and Femi Adeshina have ascended to the highest echelons of media and political influence, Beks has taken a darker path. His career in maritime journalism has devolved into a vehicle for blackmail, leveraging the media to intimidate and extort from key stakeholders in the industry.

The modus operandi of Beks is disturbingly simple yet effective. Using his media platform, he targets industry stakeholders, threatening to publish defamatory reports unless his demands are met. These demands range from financial extortion to seeking favors, contracts, and appointments. When his victims refuse to comply, Beks goes on the offensive, fabricating stories, tarnishing reputations, and eroding trust within the industry.

The maritime sector has seen firsthand the damage caused by Beks’s campaigns of blackmail. Both the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) have been victims of his manipulations. Beks’s antics nearly fractured ANLCA two years ago, while the NPA was forced to contend with his dubious schemes during Rotimi Amaechi’s tenure as Minister of Transportation. In one notable instance, Beks secured a questionable training contract with the NPA, enlisting a respected communications professor to deliver the training due to his own lack of expertise. When Beks failed to compensate the professor for services rendered, the story exploded into public view, exposing his fraudulent methods.

His blackmail even extended to personal matters. In 2023, Beks staged the kidnapping of his own daughter, only to seek donations through a WhatsApp group he created to solicit funds. The charade fell apart when security operatives began closing in on him. Despite this, he continued his efforts to infiltrate the maritime sector, using personal connections to secure his baby mama a position at the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and later gaining his son a spot on the Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP) — a scholarship valued at over $100,000.

More recently, Beks has attempted to tarnish the reputation of His Excellency Adegboyega Oyetola, Minister of Marine and Blue Economy. Initially, he criticized Oyetola’s appointment, only to later issue a humiliating public apology when his efforts to manipulate the situation fell flat. This erratic behavior is emblematic of a man whose primary goal is to control the narrative in his favor, regardless of the truth.

The implications of Beks’s actions extend far beyond individual reputations. His blackmail has created an atmosphere of fear and distrust within the maritime sector, where industry leaders are more focused on avoiding his attacks than on driving the sector’s growth. The threat he poses has made it nearly impossible to conduct legitimate investigations into the illegal activities that plague the industry, as Beks often shields those who exploit the sector for personal gain.

At present, Beks is reportedly using his media tools to derail an ongoing investigation into a well-coordinated maritime crime that could cost the country millions of dollars. His blackmail ring continues to drain the industry’s potential, as companies and professionals find themselves entangled in his web of deceit.

For the Nigerian maritime industry to thrive, it is imperative that stakeholders unite to combat this menace. Only through collective action can the sector rid itself of Beks’s influence and restore the integrity of maritime journalism. Industry leaders must refuse to bow to his demands, expose his tactics, and stand firm in their efforts to foster an environment of trust and growth.

A stitch in time saves nine. The time to act is now — to stop Beks and allow Nigeria’s maritime sector to flourish.

Okon Edet
P.R.O.
Concerned, Save Maritime Nigeria Group