By Uzor Odigbo
The Association of Market Traders in Lagos and interstate drivers have condemned the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) of raiding markets and dangerously pursuing vehicles along the nation highways for contrabands.
During exchange of words between some traders and commercial bus drivers in a garage at the former Lagos toll gate over exhobitant charges to transport their goods to other states, it was observed that the money demanded by Customs operatives along the highways was the cause of the extra charges on goods.
According to the drivers, “once you enter the expressways, the customs operatives will start pursuing our vehicles when they notice that we are carrying goods and when you park, they will start quoting some laws that the goods are contrabands. At the end, we will be forced to pay huge amount of money to bail ourselves out, while we don’t collect such from the traders that send the goods”.
“If you want to show that you are learned too, they will delay your vehicle till evening and release you to continue the journey at your own risk.
So, you have to comply to avoid unnecessary delay. That’s why some of us that will goods have to wait until midnight to embark on the journey”, they revealed.
Also lamenting, traders revealed that many of them have been rendered useless as a result of the customs operatives raiding of market places, searching for contraband goods.
“Many of us have been turned to beggars because after the raiding and seizure of our goods. When we go to their office to secure the release, they will charge us exhobitant money with no receipt. Whereas, the goods are made in Nigeria and they know the companies that produced them”, they alleged.
They added, “Some of us have traveled to neighboring countries and abroad don’t experience such. Customs are seen at borders when you are entering or departing”.
Both groups however called on the Federal government to ristrict the operation of the NCS to the borders alone so as to prevent future bloody crisis, which can claim several lives.
While appealing to the Federal government and the National Assembly to intervene on the matter before it degenerates into big bloody crisis, they remarked, “With the situation in the country, we will be forced to resist and defend ourselves with all means. That is our business. Let the operatives be effective at Nigeria borders and stop the harrashment. If they can’t do that, it means they are incompetent”.
