President of the Association of Nigeria Customs Brokers and the National Compliance Joint Task Force of Licensed Customs Agents (NCJTFLCA), Dr. Basil Nwolisa, has called on Nigerians to rise against what he described as “socialized corruption,” warning that the nation risks collapse if systemic extortion and abuse remain unchecked.
Dr. Nwolisa made the call in Lagos during the public presentation of his new book, which he described as a handbook for unraveling corruption and exposing the tricks and schemes of those who exploit ordinary citizens, particularly along major highways such as the East–West Road and Lagos–Barracks–West Road.
Condemning corruption on Nigerian highways as a “criminal enterprise in motion,” he lamented that citizens are routinely harassed, intimidated, and in some cases assaulted by security operatives and impostors.
According to him, the book has already begun to inspire courage in Nigerians, citing a recent viral confrontation between civilians and Customs operatives in Ondo State. He said those involved confirmed they were motivated by the book, which has been on sale for the past two months on platforms including Lulu, Cela Daskan, and Taribos.
“This book is a call to revolution against corruption and lack of transparency in daily life,” he said. “Nigeria cannot survive forever if corrupt practices continue unchecked. Even our elections are not free from its grip.”
Clarifying that his call for revolution was not a call to violence, Dr. Nwolisa urged citizens—especially journalists—to demand accountability and expose abuse within government, military, and paramilitary institutions.
Using trade as an example, he questioned why Nigerians continue to face multiple layers of extortion after clearing goods at ports. “If Customs has examined and released a consignment, no other unit should stop that vehicle again. Yet criminal elements continue to exploit citizens in the name of Federal Operations,” he said.
Despite admitting that he has faced harassment and arrests following some of his public engagements, Dr. Nwolisa said he remains resolute. “The Bible says the first to enter the lake of fire are the fearful. Fear is what has kept Nigeria in chains. We must free ourselves from fear to defeat corruption,” he declared.
The event also featured the inauguration of the new executives of the Apapa Chapter of NCJTFLCA, marking another step in the association’s push for transparency and accountability in trade and governance.
