Ahead of the January 1, 2017 deadline on importation of used and new vehicles through the land borders, the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Seme border chapter, has raised the alarm that the Federal Government may ignite crisis along border communities in the country, as a result of the policy.
The foremost licensed customs agents group also reiterated the need for the government to look inward by reconsidering the policy, in line with the huge revenue collections by the Nigeria Customs Service at the various land borders across the country.
The association also stressed the need for government to reverse the policy on importation of cars through the frontiers considering the possibility of loss of several jobs in the existing communities.
Speaking with journalists at the Seme border on Wednesday, Chairman ANLCA Seme border Chapter, Barrister Bisiriyu Fanu said that the Seme border Command of the Nigeria Customs Service generates 70% of its monthly revenue through car importation.
Fanu emphasised the need for government to reconsider revenue drive of the customs from the land borders, saying specifically that the Seme border Command has what it takes to generate the desired revenue that could pay-off some of the nation's debts.
He noted that once the policy is enforced, all unapproved access routes will be activated by smugglers and smuggling will increase tremendously.
The ANLCA Chairman argued that there are thousands of unapproved routes through which these consignments, including vehicles enter the country.
"At present, there is a measure of compliance that one can go to the designated customs vehicle seat or revenue office of the Nigeria Customs Service at the border areas and pay his or her duties on vehicles"
"Once this policy is enforced all unapproved access routes will be activated by smugglers and smuggling will increase tremendously"
Fanu said that ANLCA as a professional body, urged the federal government of Nigerian to re-consider the ban of importation of vehicles through land borders, noting that importation of such items provides employment to over 500,000 Nigerians, including graduates who would have ordinarily be roaming the streets due to the high unemployment situation in the country.
"The federal government is unwittingly trying to ignite another form of crisis along the border areas in South West, North Central and North West, where smugglers will do everything to carry out their dastardly act of terrorism"
"Sabotaging the economy as we are currently experiencing in the South-South with the militants blowing up oil installations and Boko Haram insurgency activities in the North East, we may be having too many troubles on our hands to contend with at the same time ",he lamented.
According to him, smuggling activities at Nigeria seaports are equally high and smuggling activities take place on daily basis at the ports.
The ANLCA Chairman stated that the policy would further lead to loss of personal resources, adding that "it is not all Nigerians that can travel to America and Europe to buy their choice vehicles and you can cross over to Republic of Benin to buy a vehicle, complete the transaction within four days and have the vehicle in Nigeria with duty fully paid".
He recalled that rice importation was banned through the land borders by the same government sometimes in March 2016, yet all manner of assorted rice are still being smuggled and noticeable in Nigeria markets.
Fanu maintained that, " remember that rice importation was banned through the land borders sometimes in March 2016,yet we still have assorted imported and smuggled rice in Nigeria markets including the obnoxious plastic rice"
"However these products that would have enhanced our revenue base, through appropriate duty payment get into the country are yet to be imagined.
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