Findings by Shipping Position Daily have revealed that despite efforts by the government to reduce the number of checkpoints along the Mile 2-Seme international corridor, importers still pay over ₦350,000 in bribes at the over 70 illegal checkpoints manned by various security personnel.
Recall that to tackle alleged extortion and restore order along the Seme border corridor, security stakeholders recently approved the establishment of only four checkpoints. This decision was made during a high-level security meeting at the Zone 2 Command Headquarters in Onikan, Lagos. The meeting was chaired by the Assistant Inspector General of Police for Zone 2, AIG Adegoke Fayoade.
The meeting included representatives from the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Customs Service, Nigerian Immigration Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), and the Nigeria Police Force.
The security chiefs during the meeting, had emphasized the importance of reducing the excessive number of checkpoints, noting that the streamlined approach would bolster security and support economic activities along the border corridor.
The meeting subsequently agreed that the designated checkpoints shall be the ones located at Seme, Gbaji, Apa, and Agbara.
However, findings by our correspondent during a trip on the notorious route last week revealed that despite the agreement, the previous illegal checkpoints still persist. Stakeholders who spoke to Shipping Position Daily reveal that illegal checkpoints manned by these security agencies continue to thrive, forcing importers to pay exorbitant bribes.
Sources who spoke to our correspondent detailed that over 70 checkpoints exist on the 75-kilometer stretch between Mile 2 and Seme Border. Despite the government’s initiative to reduce these checkpoints, importers are allegedly paying an average of ₦2,000 to ₦5,000 per checkpoint to security operatives. This figure amounts to a staggering ₦350,000 for goods transported along the route, excluding other hidden costs imposed at the discretion of corrupt officials.
In a chat with the immediate past Seme Chapter Chairman of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) Mr. Onyekachi Ojinma, he decried the situation describing Nigeria’s corridor as “the worst in the region.” He added that these agencies are allegedly given unofficial revenue targets by their superiors.
Ojinma criticized what he called “lip service” from authorities, saying it’s no longer news. He described the extortion as endemic, stating that security agencies exploit the situation to enrich themselves.
Giving an insight on the ordeal importers face along that corridor, the ANLCA Chieftain revealed that moving cargo between Mile 2 and Seme is not only expensive, but also riddled with uncertainties. According to him, the cost of bribes along the corridor varies, but consistently escalates with over 60 checkpoints. He also noted that the checkpoints are usually over 70 when moving cargoes at evening time.
“To move cargo along this route, you face an endless number of checkpoints, each manned by security personnel demanding payment. On average, you can encounter about 60 checkpoints, especially if you are transporting goods classified as high-value.
“We heard about plans to remove checkpoints, but it’s always an old story. Nothing changes, and the burden remains on us. We are used to it now; it’s a terrible situation. Until the government and its agencies stop paying lip service to this issue and start holding their officers accountable, nothing will change,” Ojinma lamented.
An insider, who pleaded anonymity, described the situation as a longstanding embarrassment that has resisted years of advocacy and intervention. According to the source, “it is a recurring issue we talk about every month, every week, every year. Yet, no serious effort seems to be made to resolve it.”
Corroborating the ANLCA chairman, the insider confirmed that despite promises to reduce checkpoints, over 70 still exist on the 75-kilometer stretch between Mile 2 and Seme border. He also confirmed that on the average, importers pay about ₦2,000 to ₦5,000 per checkpoint, amounting to over ₦350,000 per trip per truck. This figure, he said excludes additional costs imposed arbitrarily by other corrupt officials.
The insider also confirmed that the corruption extends beyond junior officers, as security operatives are allegedly under pressure from their superiors to deliver returns from these illegal activities. “This is not hearsay; it’s what happens daily. The checkpoints are merely avenues to extort travelers and importers under the guise of security and regulation,” the source added.
The source argued that these checkpoints have failed to curb the smuggling of contraband, which still flood markets across Lagos and beyond.
“The checkpoints are not yielding positive results. They are there to feed the pockets of corrupt security officials while contraband continue to flow freely into the country,” the source lamented.
In response to the allegations, Husseini Abdulahi, Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Seme Command, clarified that discussions regarding checkpoint reductions are ongoing.
“It’s a work in progress. Meetings are still being held, and no final decisions have been made,” Abdulahi stated, addressing reports that a plan to reduce checkpoints to four had been approved.
The Command spokesman emphasized that while the idea is under consideration, it has not yet been implemented. “The reduction of checkpoints to four is just a suggestion currently under review. No approvals have been finalized,” Abdulahi clarified.
