Nigeria’s border will remain closed until neighbouring countries do the neccessary things, says Customs boss Hameed Ali.
“There is no specific time for opening the borders,” Ali said added that by closing the borders, Nigeria was able to completely block the importation of contraband.
Retired Col. Hameed Ali, the comptroller general, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), says Nigeria’s borders will remain closed until the country and its neighbours agree on existing ECOWAS protocol on movement. Ali stated this on Wednesday at Maigatari/Niger border, Maigatari Local Government area of Jigawa while fielding questions from newsmen.
“But there is no specific time for opening the borders,” he disclosed. “However, if they agree with us tomorrow on the existing laws, then we sign and update the existing protocol of transit, that’s all,”
When asked about the consequences of closing the borders, he said: “If you check our website, you will see the seizures and interception we’ve made”.
He said that by closing the borders, Nigeria was able to completely block the importation of contraband.
According to him, through the measure, the importation of foreign rice has stopped and the market for local varieties has risen.
“We’ve also stopped the influx of rice and our rice is now selling. Even those selling garri that have been abandoned because there was cheap rice are making brisk business,” he said.
When asked about petty traders who are unable to bring goods to the neighbouring countries, Ali said: “There must be collateral damage in this kind of situation. Somebody must miss one or two things.”
He said the number of petty traders affected was insignificant compared to gains recorded through the operation.
Ali said Nigeria’s neighbours had no reason allowing cars, cooking oil and other contraband items to pass through their borders into Nigeria warning that any officer caught conniving to pave way for the importation of contraband items into the country would have himself to blame.