The Controller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Hameed Ali, has vowed that the country would not reopen its closed borders until neighbouring countries end illegal smuggling of goods.
The Customs CG who stated this on Wednesday at the Maigatari border between Nigeria and Niger Republic while on a tour, said Nigeria will not fold it’s arms and allow the smuggling of contraband items such as rice, frozen chicken, vegetable oil among others.
“If Niger Republic is making income through taxation of smuggled goods to Nigeria, we will continue to shut our borders until they agree and sign the protocol documents that will allow for the relaxation of the borders,” he said.
“Any nation that cannot feed itself cannot claim to be independent, because when countries that feed us decide to hold onto their food supply, we will be in trouble.”
Ali regretted incidences of trafficking of human beings across the borders noting that that constituted part of the insecurity the country is facing, while warning officers against colluding with smugglers to bring in contraband goods into Nigeria saying those caught would be prosecuted.
