The Federal Government on Friday ordered the immediate closure of all land borders linking Nigeria with Niger Republic due to the recent coup d’etat in Niger.
The Acting Comptroller General of Customs, Mr Bashir Adewale Adeniyi was at Jibia Border, Katsina State, to monitor the level of compliance where he explained that the Federal Government has directed stakeholders in the border management to ensure total compliance.
Accordingto him, the decision for the total blockage of the borders was to comply with the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) directive to suspend movement of cargos until further notice.
He added that as part of measures to ensure 100 per cent compliance, they will sensitise the border communities.
The Acting Controller General said the decision was taken for the interest of peace and stable between the two countries.
According to him, the Service has deployed officers and men attached to the joint operations team in the form of the border drill to implement the policy across all porous borders.
“It is the responsibility of the Nigeria Customs Service, working with other agencies of government, to implement the decision in its entirety. I have gone round some border stations and I am happy with what I have seen in terms of compliance,” the Customs boss added.
“The Nigeria Customs Service has joint operations with other security agencies at the border drill and they have been deployed to the border areas to carry out the implementation of the border closure order. The compliance has to be 100 per cent which means that all in-bound and out-bound cargoes in and out of Nigeria will not be allowed during the period of border closure.”
Adewale had visited the deputy governor of Katsina state regarding the issue of the sensitisation.
