Avoid Seme border if you have no business there, customs warn security agencies

By Godwin Oritse & Providence Ayanfeoluwa

The Customs Area Controller of the Seme Area Command, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Comptroller Wale Adenuga, has issued a stern informing to each information agencies to enactment distant from the Seme borderline corridor unless they person morganatic concern there.

Adenuga said the directive aims to region unnecessary bottlenecks and commercialized barriers on the Seme borders and the Lagos–Abidjan commercialized corridor. He noted that the determination was besides to avert a planned protestation by Badagry communities implicit the increasing fig of checkpoints, harassment of citizens, and disruption of morganatic trade.

Speaking during a stakeholders’ gathering with information agencies, borderline assemblage representatives, and commercialized partners, Adenuga said:

“If you don’t person immoderate concern connected that road, we don’t privation you there. I’m not going to remainder connected my oars until the fig of checkpoints is reduced.
My CGC was successful Lilipond recently, and helium said the lone mode guardant for Nigeria is done export business. Our lipid gross is declining, and we request to export much cargoes. The much we export, the amended for our economy. I americium informing each bureau moving connected that road—go and trim your checkpoints.”

He described the fig of checkpoints connected the way arsenic “disgraceful”, saying the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, had already directed a simplification and instructed that nary morganatic concern should beryllium delayed.

“After this meeting, it volition not beryllium concern arsenic usual. We shall make an implementation committee to travel up connected the issues discussed. This is not a one-off meeting. Nigeria indispensable align with planetary champion practices, and we privation sanity restored connected our roads,” helium added.

Community leaders decry harassment, extortion

During an interactive session, assemblage leaders and residents of Badagry voiced their frustrations implicit alleged harassment, extortion, and unprofessional behaviour by immoderate information personnel.

Prince Joseph Adeoluwayemi Agoro of Apa Kingdom condemned the behaviour of officers who, according to him, artifact roads and hold commuters.

“When officers halt a vehicle, they should inquire it to parkland alternatively of blocking the full road. Respect is reciprocal. Many fights connected the roadworthy are caused by ‘camp boys’—unofficial recruits who maltreat radical without restraint,” helium said.

Alhaji Yusuf Bashir Mohammed, Chairman of the Community Development Committee, Badagry West LCDA, besides criticised repeated stakeholder meetings that had failed to nutrient results.

“Every gathering discusses the aforesaid issues—multiple checkpoints, harassment, and extortion. Our communities person decided to protestation if thing changes. We’ve had nary energy for 7 years, and contempt each these checkpoints, our facilities are vandalised. Female travellers are besides harassed by subject officers. If the unit gets excessively much, we whitethorn not beryllium capable to power our youths—we don’t privation different Boko Haram concern successful Badagry,” helium warned.

He further appealed to Customs to widen its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) projects to see occupation instauration for unemployed youths successful the community.

Comrade Muse Timothy, Chairman of the National Youth Council, Badagry, accused the Nigerian Quarantine Service of frustrating section farmers.

“Quarantine officers are driving farmers retired of business, portion migration officers present transport radical illegally to Benin Republic. Our coconut and food businesses are suffering—it shouldn’t beryllium a transgression to beryllium calved successful Badagry,” helium lamented.

A resident, Mr Okey Iruegbu, urged the Federal Government to assistance the prohibition connected conveyance importation done onshore borders, arguing that it had failed to curb smuggling.

“The prohibition has not stopped smuggling; it lone makes the authorities suffer revenue. It’s amended to reverse the policy,” helium said.

Customs promises reforms

The Oba of Kweme Kingdom, Oba Sejiro James Ogungbe, commended the Customs enactment for reducing convulsive clashes betwixt officers and smugglers but urged restraint during enforcement.

“Customs officers should not pursuit smugglers into villages due to the fact that stray bullets tin origin fatalities. Also, erstwhile our radical are caught with fractional a container of rice, Customs seizes it. Are we not expected to devour atom aga...