We will reduce checkpoints along Seme border – Customs boss

We will reduce checkpoints along Seme border – Customs boss

The Acting Comptroller-General of Customs, Mr Adewale Adeniyi, has said the Customs will work with sister agencies along the Seme border to reduce the number of checkpoints on the corridor.

He stated this during his official visit to Seme Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service on Friday.

According to him, before coming to the command, the Controller of Seme Area Command, Mr Dera Nandi, had mentioned a number of issues which include the many checkpoints along the axis.

Adeniyi said, “We want to enhance our national security, but we are going to do it with a fewer number of checkpoints; we are working with other security agencies to see how we can rationalise the checkpoints.

“I also want to challenge you that national security is not the responsibility of the government agencies alone.

“It is the business of every citizen. In all the parts of the society they treat national security as a priority. So it should not be the business of the security agencies alone.

“This is to make life easier for business. I want to charge you all to make life and the work of our security agencies easier.

“The criminal lives among us. Those that are bringing arms and ammunition live among us; they operate within us.

“What we can do to help and reinforce our national security is if you help us with information for us to catch these criminals who are dangerous to our community.”

Adeniyi promised to engage other agencies to see how they could streamline the checkpoints.

The Acting CGC said that if all things worked well, the service would commence discussion on how vehicles would be allowed to pass through land borders.

“So this will be among the discussions once we get the assurances from the community that they will be ready to support the agencies to do their job,” he said.

Mr Onyekachi Ojinma, the Chairman, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) Seme Chapter, urged President Bola Tinubu to put in place policies to let the borders be more viable for business and services to thrive.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Adeniyi had earlier visited the Akran of Badagry, Aholu Lehi Toyi.