Hyacinth Chinweuba
The Customs Area Controller of Seme Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Comptroller Mohammed Garba Uba, who is also the Chairman, Joint Border Posts said that he has approved a clamp down on all illegal routes, as he commissions Seme-Krake border post.
Speaking recently, the Controller reiterated the need to streamline the human trafficking and smuggling through unapproved routes in the Nigerian, which he said will encourage trade.
He explained that considering the fact that Nigeria and Republic of Benin have common trade relationship, it would be necessary to close every illegal routes between the two neighbors.
Uba stated that he will ensure that all movement of cargo and persons are channeled through the joint border post.
The Controller said it is pertinent to note that, in order to curtail and curb crime, by frustrating Smuggling activities due to the fact that they use the busy border arena as an advantage to bring into the country prohibited goods.
The Controller said the directive is coming as a result of the Joint Border Post (JBP), inauguration of its first Management Meeting held in the Command, where Comptroller Mohammed Garba Uba was co-chairman.
He emphatically stressed that all illegal routes must be completely sealed by January 14, 2019, for easy clamp down on every economic saboteurs involved in perpetrating illegal transactions within the border posts by discouraging the influx of contraband goods, adding that to avoid illicit traders having field day is to fully seal off illegal routes to prevent further damage to the Nigeria economy, because it is the busiest border for trade within the sub-region, he said.