The Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), retired Col Hameed Ali, says all goods through land borders remain banned with the recent partial border closure announced by Federal Government.
Ali made this known at a joint news conference with his counterpart from Nigeria Immigration Service, Mr Mohammed Babandede, in Abuja on Monday.
He explained that the exercise banned all goods irrespective of the items, whether such goods were contraband or not.
Ali said for now, only goods passing through the controlled borders such as air and sea would gain entry into the country.
According to him, there is no time limit to end the partial closure of the nation’s borders.
Ali added that the exercise would be sustained until the neighbouring countries duly comply with the ECOWAS protocols on transit of goods.
The NCS boss said that diplomatic engagement was ongoing to ensure the cooperation of the neighbouring countries.
Following this development, Niger Republic had just announced the ban on all forms of exportation of rice into Nigeria, the customs boss added.
Ali said the inter-agency cooperation had helped to achieve the success so far recorded in the exercise.
The joint border security exercise, code-named “Exercise Swift Response”, began on Aug. 20.
It was set up to ensure a better security of the country’s territorial integrity, particularly the land and maritime borders, against trans-border security concerns.
The exercise is being coordinated by Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) in the four geo-political zones of North-West, North-Central, South-West and South-South.
Meanwhile, the Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service has said that the closure of the nation’s borders had saved 10.2 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), from being smuggled out.
Ali announced the interception during a joint news conference with his counterpart from the Nigeria Immigration Service, Mr Mohammed Babandede, in Abuja on Monday.
“From the record available to me, the consumption of PMS in the country has reduced by 10.2 million litres since the border operation began.
“This means that this amount of fuel was being smuggled to the neighbouring countries before the exercise began.
“We are deploying every technology available to secure our borders, and in line with this, the president has graciously approved e-customs for the service,’’ he said.
According to him, e-customs means all customs tools will be driven by technology to manage the borders.
“Our men will remain at the borders for as long as it will take the neighbouring countries to adhere to ECOWAS protocols on transit.’’
Ali said that the development was not about the right of the citizenry but to secure and protect the lives of people by ensuring adequate security of Nigerian borders.
He reiterated that the current government would not compromise the security of the nation, “no matter what”.
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