The Customs Area Controller in charge of Seme border; Comptroller Mohammed Aliyu has reclaimed the command’s land that has been encroached on illegally by unscrupulous individuals without due process or approval.
While justifying the raid, the Customs boss stated that he is leaving no stone unturned to ensure that illegal structures are demolished and those with approval update their status by routing their request to the Comptroller General of Customs through the Customs Area Controller.
According to a statement issued yesterday by the Public Relations Officers at the command, Taupyen, Selchang Kashang, the Controller stated this during a recent raid on the various areas that have been encroached upon, even as he lamented that the shanties are defacing the border.
He expressed regret that the Service land was overtaken by illegal occupants. He noted that the land which was Gazetted since 1978 by the Land Use Act of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will not be allowed to be treated with reckless abandon. He warned all trespassers to keep off or lose whatever resources they have expended on the Land.
Meanwhile, the Comptroller has vowed to ensure that miscreants and touts called “Kelebes” who infiltrate the border and all the security agencies to perpetrate trans-border crimes are flushed out.
The Comptroller gave the assurance while launching “operation flush out touts from the border” against those who impersonate officers or stand as imposters to deceive innocent travelers along the Lagos-Abidjan corridor on Thursday in company of other relevant security agencies at the border.
While responding to allegation from the representatives of the Nigerian communities in the Republic of Togo, the Controller used the opportunity to sensitize the gathering on the core functions of the Nigeria Customs Service.
According to him, most of the complaints were due to ignorance of Customs laws, while some who deliberately chose to trade on prohibited items connive and patronize the touts “Kelebes” to facilitate their illegal passage.
He restated that genuine and legitimate traders who are treated in the contrary has the option of reporting to the office of the Servicom/Public Relations Office to lodge their complaints or proceed to the office of the CAC.
He urged genuine stake holders and those who were ignorant not to transact business with any impostor that is not completely dressed in uniform with name tag attached.
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