Bashir Adeniyi, Acting Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), has stated that the Federal Government has asked the Service to suspend all transit cargoes bound for the Niger Republic via all land borders and seaports across the country.
This comes after the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) sanctioned the Niger Republic when presidential guards deposed Mohamed Bazoum and installed Abdrahmane Tchiani as president.
To that aim, ECOWAS issued a border closure directive against the Niger Republic and the Nigeria Customs Service on Friday and began enforcing it by closing the Nigerian-Niger Republic crossings across the seven northern states of Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina Jigawa, Yobe, and Borno.
During a working visit to the Ogun 1 Command of the Service, Idiroko, Ogun State, on Sunday, the Ag Customs CG stated that since the closing of the Nigerian-Nigerian borders, transit cargoes may be smuggled through other land border posts in the country.
According to him, any transit commodities bound for the Niger Republic via other land crossings, including Idiroko, must be halted.
“I can assure you that implementation of that directive given by the ECOWAS head of state is 100 per cent and when that is happening, smugglers will want to explore openings in other borders, and may want to use other routes. All transit goods heading for the Niger Republic should be stopped.
“This time, we need to be vigilant because those bent on destabilising the country are still at work. This is a reminder that we can’t afford to rest on our oars as our level of alertness must be 100 percent. You must synergise and cooperate with other agencies of government to achieve this,” he said.
However, the Customs chief stated that with the removal of fuel subsidies, the service would reassess the regulation on fuel supply to filling stations located 20 kilometres from the country’s borders.
He also intimated that if border villages comply well, the service will reconsider some of its policies.
“There are several issues that our border communities have put across to us which goes beyond the mandate of the Customs service. We are working with the appropriate authorities of government and we will be requesting the review of such policies if the situation warrants it
“If there is the compliance of extant law regarding import and export and if we see the support of the communities, we’ll make appropriate recommendations for the review of border closure and importation of tokunbo vehicles through the borders, and most importantly because of the removal of subsidy, we may also call for the review of restriction of petrol filling stations in and around our borders,” he said.
Furthermore, he charged the personnel at the command to remain focused and recommit to preserving national and regional security.
“One of the reasons I’m here this morning is to emphasize the importance of all of our agencies remaining focused and committed to the ideal of national and regional security. Idiroko is a strategic entry point into Nigeria, as well as the Benin Republic and, by extension, the sub-region. As a result, we cannot afford to enable criminals who thrive on committing crimes beyond our borders to do things that endanger our national security.
“So this is why I’m here this morning to remind ourselves of our collective mandate, collective mandates to keep away criminals operating around our borders, whether they come in the manner of smuggling, human trafficking, drug trafficking or things that will affect our public health. We have a collective responsibility to confront them and beat them to their game. For us in Customs, we believe that no one agency can do this alone, we need to work together, and we need to collaborate. The dynamics of crime have changed over the years and there is no single criminal that comes to our border and perpetrates only its crime.
“Smugglers don’t commit only smuggling so, what it means is that they engage in illegal smuggling of arms and ammunition. Most human traffickers, most of the time also take currencies away from the country. They are also guilty of money laundering, and illegal currency trafficking across the border,” he stated.
The Customs CG sought the understanding, cooperation, and support of the border communities while carrying out their duties by visiting the Oniko of Ikojaye Land, Idiroko, Oba Olàkunle Ojo, and the Onipokia of Ipokia kingdom, Oba Yisa Adelakun Olaniyan.
To develop strong working connections, Adeniyi also organized a quarterly meeting between the Ogun border command and representatives of the Ipokia host community.
Meanwhile, the Customs chief committed to considering graduates from border communities in future service recruiting.
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