The closure of Nigeria’s borders
by Federal Government was undertaken to strengthen the nation’s security and
protect its economic interests, the Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs
Service (NCS), retired Col. Hameed Ali, has said.
Speaking during a meeting with
border stakeholders, comprising freight forwarders and security agencies on
Thursday at Seme, Ali said that the closure was not intended to hurt anyone but
to protect the nation’s interests.
“Our interest is to make sure
that our country is secure, the well-being of our people is ensured and our
economy is secure.
“The step we have taken is in the
interest of Nigeria, the step is not to hurt anybody but to protect our own
interests as a nation,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
reports that Ali was accompanied at the meeting by Nigeria’s Ambassador to
Benin Republic, Kayode Oguntuase, Comptroller General Immigration, Mohammed
Babandede and Brig. Gen. E.A Ndagi, Coordinator of Joint Border Security
Exercise, among others.
The NCS boss said that lots of
things had gone wrong regarding compliance with transit of goods, adding that
the border closure was to ensure that things were streamlined so that all
stakeholders could be back to doing the right things.
“The idea is to ensure that the
protocol that is involved in transit of goods and trade facilitation is adhered
to so that we will all live and complement each other.
“The operation is undertaken to
ensure that we get things back in perspective; we know the right thing, it is
well written, we are all aware of it, we used to practise it, so we must go
back to that”, he noted.
Ali said that the freight
forwarders were critical stakeholders at the borders and urged them to ensure
compliance with the rules regarding transit of goods.
“We cannot do business without
you but compliance is lacking between you and our officers. Most of the things
we do, we don’t comply with rules and that’s why we end up with weapons,
Tramadol that killed our children.
“We end up with ammunition that
bandits use to kill our people; we don’t manufacture ammunition in this
country, if we do it is only from one source and that source is well protected
and documented.
“But today, we have seen many of
this ammunition in Nigeria, where are they coming from.
“They have compromised with some
of us and some of you and I say to our officers; that weapons, that bullets you
facilitate in transiting into Nigeria, you don’t know who will take it.
“The bandits, the armed robbers
had no choice, your mother, my children, your sisters might be shot by that
weapon,” the customs boss warned.
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