Wale Adeniyi, acting comptroller-general of the Nigerian Customs Service, NCS, has said that not every land border in the country has been reopened.
He disclosed this on Tuesday while speaking to state house correspondents after a meeting with President Bola Tinubu at Aso Villa.
Recall that former President Muhammadu Buhari had in August 2019. Closed all land borders in the country as part of efforts to checkmate smuggling and boost local production of rice.
Buhari on December 6, 2020, ordered the immediate reopening of four land borders.
Speaking on the development, Adeniyi said while a few strategic borders were reopened in 2022, a review is currently underway to assess the objectives of the closure.
He said, “Well, it is not true that all Nigerian borders have been opened. The status quo ante still exists in the borders. If you remember that the borders were completely shut down in 2018 up until 2022 when some selected strategic borders were reopened, that is still the situation as we speak.
See Also: Customs Nab Smugglers, Recover 2,375 Litres Of Petrol In Sokoto
“And this was why we had an ad hoc arrangement of a special unit coordinated by the office of the NSA (national security adviser) to enforce that border closure. But as we speak, about five of them have been reopened.
“Four were initially reopened and two more were opened after that. And that is still the situation. There are ongoing processes to review this situation against the objective of the border closure itself.
“And the processes are not yet completed. And of course, when the borders are reopened, it’s not going to be subject of rumour in any way.”
The acting comptroller-general said there are plans to visit the Republic of Benin to engage with the country’s customs administration as part of efforts to enhance border security and regional integration. He added, “The aim of the visit is to foster collaboration, address border security concerns, facilitate importation across the border, and explore technological solutions to complex border challenges.”
- Gov Alex Otti Reacts To Tribunal Judgment - October 7, 2023
- Fake Credentials: Soyinka Dares Accusers To Prove Allegations - October 7, 2023
- Ukraine Vow To Shun UEFA Competitions Featuring Russian Teams - September 27, 2023
