• Customs arrest 50 suspects, seize 14 trucks Accuse residents of border towns of complicity

Francis Sardauna in Katsina and Eromosele Abiodun in Lagos



Despite the closure of Nigerian land borders by the federal government in the last three months, smuggling still persists at the border between Nigeria and Niger Republic, THISDAY’s investigation has revealed.

THISDAY gathered that at the border between Jibia in Katsina State and Niger Republic, smugglers have resorted to the use of illegal routes to ferry in bags of foreign rice, bales of second-hand clothing and other contrabands.

However, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has dismissed the observation, calling for either a photograph or video evidence to prove the allegation. NCS also said it would be impossible for smugglers to operate at any of the country’s borders.

Investigation revealed that while strict compliance appears to reign at the main border post between the two countries, illegal businesses still thrived at some bush paths and sundry illegal entry points where unscrupulous security operatives, work hand-in-glove with smugglers to smuggle contraband goods into the country.

President Muhammadu Buhari had on August 20, 2019 ordered a joint border security aimed at securing the country’s land and maritime borders.

But when THISDAY visited the border town of Jibia at the weekend, it was observed that there were some illegal routes that commercial drivers and motorcyclists were using to transport goods and passengers into the country.

It was gathered that rice smugglers were also taking advantage of the lax security to bring their wares into the country but at much higher price than before.

Some of the illegal routes the smugglers used to ferry in the contrabands from Niger Republic to Jibia Local Government Area of Katsina State include Sabon Gari, Dan-Harau, Alele, Makada and Maidabaro roads despite heavy security at the borders.

The smugglers, it was learnt, go through the laborious route of offloading the contrabands few meters away from the official border security post and use J-5 buses, Gulf 4 and 5 vehicles and motorcycles to ferry the items from their hideouts into Jibia for onward transportation to their warehouses in Katsina, Kano, Kaduna, Zamfara, Jigawa States and some other parts of the country.

Residents of the border town told THISDAY that the smugglers were being aided by security personnel, including soldiers, policemen, Customs and immigration officials, who allegedly collected money from the smugglers to allow them a free passage at the 13 checkpoints between Jibia and Katsina metropolis.

A motorcyclist involved in smuggling, who pleaded anonymity, told THISDAY that those of them engaged in the business understood the risks and dangers involved but affirmed that they would not encounter any problem unless they refused to cooperate with security operatives at the checkpoints.

“Unless one refused to pay the bribe for each category of items or when it is time for the officials to sacrifice you to prove that they are working – that is when they will arrest you in the name of smuggling,” he explained.

A commercial driver simply identified as Sule, who specialised in smuggling, said business had been booming for them because they do convey a bag of rice from Maradi (Niger Republic) to Katsina at the cost of N3,000 each.

“We used to charge rice merchants N3,000 for each bag of rice carried from Maradi to Katsina State. Although, we do follow bush paths and sometimes custom officers do arrest us. But once we give them some monies they allow us to pass even though some of them are very stubborn,” he stated.

He, however, lamented that the border closure has contributed negatively to the socio-economic imbalance of the state and the country in general.

When contacted, the NCS Commander in charge of Sector 4 Command of the National Border Drill Operation, Bashir Abubakar, said about 50 suspected smugglers had so far been apprehended and 14 trucks of contrabands intercepted.

He lamented that Jibia border has always been one of their major flashpoints since the commencement of the operation two months ago because of the “mental behaviour” of the inhabitants of the area.

“We have seen that people of that area are not in good terms with government security agencies and it has been a history,” he added.

On the allegation that his officers were extorting money from smugglers, Abubakar said: “I will not say yes, it is true but at the same time I will not deny because we are all human beings and there is no Nigerian that changes name in terms of issues of integrity and character.

“Think of anywhere in the world, there are bag eggs and good eggs. The same thing applies to various agencies in Nigeria – both government and private agencies but anyone found wanting will be punished.”

He added that lack of adequate operational vehicles and banditry has affected their ability to carry out the operation in all the villages in the state.

The Sector 4 Command of the National Border Drill Operation covers Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara States.

Officers on the joint exercise were drawn from the Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Army, Nigeria Immigration Service, DSS and Nigerian Air Force.

We Need Video Evidence, Says Customs
When contacted, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Nigeria Customs Service, Joseph Attah said it would be impossible for smugglers to move around easily in any Nigerian border because of the security presence at the borders.

He said officers manning the borders were drawn from security services, which include the police, air force, army, Customs and the Department of State Services (DSS).

“This information is important to me. If you have evidence kindly make it available so I can challenge the Sector 4 Commander. This is something that nationwide, whoever gives that information should give us photographs or video evidence.

“The NCS is very interested in this information. What I can tell you is that this joint border exercise is coordinated by the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) and there are joint forces, not only Customs officers and they are in all the borders, divided into four sectors. If I have an evidence to back up this information, I will quickly take it up with the Sector Commander and report the matter to the Office of the National Security Adviser.

“This is not Customs alone; the police are there, air force and the army are there; so, if somebody goes to Jibia and is saying that is what is happening in Idi-Iroko is not happening at Jibia, then, I will be interested. This is not Customs affair; it is all security agencies that are there. Your reporter should tell me where he is there so I can connect him with the people on ground to help.

When asked if there is possibility smuggling is still going on in Jibia, he said, “I can tell you that whatever you see happening in Seme, Idi-Iroko and other land borders around the country is what is happening in Jibia, Umfun, Cross Rivers, and Migatiri in Sokoto State.”

https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/10/22/despite-border-closure-smuggling-booms-at-nigeria-niger-border/

These administration is the grand master of corruption..... Fighting corruption it's all media propaganda with yahoo yahoo boys

Wen we said it earlier some ediots kept saying we were making up stories... Most Alhajis have become overnight rice merchants and have become overnight millionaires becos d so called border closure and customs is only taken seriously in d southern borders by d customs and other security agencies while up north it is business as usual.. Let's stop deceiving ourselves in dis country. Foreign rice in Katsina sells for less than 12k.

Grand Theft Auto!!



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It's only the southern borders that are on lockdown, yeye people

Of course Buhari didn't want to really close the border with his ancestral people of Niger.

This is expected. The borders more porous up north

Nigeria is a smugglers paradise .

Nigeria is a smuggler's paradise .

NORTH without BORDERS.

We definitely have a long way to go as a country until we shone/minimise tribalism and religion to its bearest minimum in the effective discharge of our duties majorly as public officials we will continue going in circles.



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Nigerian borders were not closed.
Rather Southern Nigeria borders were closed.

The North
The North
The North

How many times did I call you? You lead in every negative indices. There is no vice (except for HIV) that you are not number one.

From criminal leaders, poor education, nepotism, tribalism, religious bigotry, baby factory, kidnapping, drug abuse, child abuse, animal abuse, armed robbery, economic sabotage, communal clashes.

The north
The north
The north

Nigeria's bane.

The purpose of the closure is still very much intact.

You can never completely eliminate smuggling but reducing it is what can be achieved and has been done.

There is a large difference between 10 trailer load of rice and 4 Peugeot 404 conveying rice.

[s]

Commentor:
The purpose of the closure is still very much intact.

You can never completely eliminate smuggling but reducing it is what can be achieved and has been done.

There is a large difference between 10 trailer load of rice and 4 Peugeot 404 conveying rice.

[/s]
trash trash trash

Cameron border is very much open ,Northern border is very much open .....


Its all politics to enrich the north ....

mrvitalis:
Cameron border is very much open ,Northern border is very much open .....


Its all politics to enrich the north ....

yes

THE BORDER CLOSURE IS JUST AN OPIATE . IT IS NOT THE NEEDED PERMANENT CURE TO THE CONSTITUTIONAL EBOLA THAT MAY BRING AN END TO THIS CONTRAPTION VERY SOON

Nigeria's border with her neighbours will not be closed forever. This brawlish closure to stop smuggling or extract commitment from our neighbours to fix their border security without putting our house in order is simply an opiate. The numb feeling will wear away in days .

As long as we do not take proactive steps to put in place honest, sustainable institutional reforms, policy and program initiatives to tackle the root cause of this problem, once the border is opened the smuggling will continue.

Without economic activities in Nigeria, Benin Republic will not have a thriving economy. But we can force them to strengthen things through excellent institutional and policy reforms back home that unavoidably pickets and keeps them in check.

We cannot successfully and sustainably keep away the cockroaches and rodents, when our house is filled with so much filth and stench that attracts them in large numbers . Even, those who import goods through the Lagos port will tell you honestly that some big men still escape paying the right tariff and duties because of our very corrupt Customs and immigration services. Systemic corruption that is entrenched to the very top .

Corruption is in their DNA . Only massive institutional reforms, total overhaul of the recruitment processes into these agencies, digitization of port operations and services, and enhanced efficiencies will help us tackle this monster.

It is just like the continual retention of the fuel subsidies. You cannot sustainably stop the smuggling of the product to other Neighbouring countries or stop the fat cats at the NNPC from inflating the daily import volumes , in order siphon our dollar resources, when you have left the corruption infested consumption subsidies doors wide open. We are the only country in West Africa still hooked up to this stupid and economy destroying bad behaviour.

What we are suffering today is as a result of constitutional, fiscal and systems failures.

It is madness to create opaque schemes and expect transparency . The whole institutions, agencies and systems of the state are deeply compromised and need urgent and total overhaul

This brawlish and temporary border closure is like just binding an accident victims open and sore wound with a dirty and soiled rag to stop the blood flow. The patient will surely die later in the days from tetanus and other infections, unless you quickly take him to qualified medical practitioners, who will apply the right medication and treatment.

Nigeria is infected and suffering from the worst form of Ebola like sickness . Ebola like sickness that is caused by one dangerous virus. That virus is the abdusalam Abubakar 1999 satanic verses called constitution.

Closure of our borders is like swallowing paracetamol to relieve her of headache, which is one of the symptoms of the disease . The pain may relieve for a while because of the analgesics. However, the sickness is still there .

Until we apply the right medication, that is total overhaul of the constitutional framework of this country, I am sorry to announce that we will still continue to run around like headless chickens in this jungle

We can pretend as much as we like . We are free to speak or write as much grammar as we may wish . Pontificate from here to Jericho . Grandstand, puff , huff , pretend or whatever as we like. However , the unassailable truth remains that until we tackle the root cause of Nigeria woes. That root cause that elevates mediocrity, hollowness, extreme poverty , terrorism, banditry and criminality in the land , this contraption will only be marking time to its death throes .

Total constitutional , fiscal, socio-economic and governance overhaul now or end later.

God help us

OBIARAERI, Nnaemeka Onyeka

Discriminatory Governance. Niger Republic is Daura Emirate.

Ok

Ofcourse border closure is aimed at crippling the economy of the south

Na wa o

Gracealone:
It's actually impossible to achieve 100% eradication. If you watch the programme Border Patrol, you'll discover that smuggling thrives even in developed countries.

Very funny excuse! I guess they smuggle bags of rice too in developed countries!

Imagine

Please who knows Polaris bank ussd code?

dey online now , but watch as him go avoid this thread like ebola.