By Uzor Odigbo
There are strong indications that the recently commissioned border post at Seme built by ECOWAS and the European Union has led to a new trend of smuggling as only one entrance and exit points exists between Nigeria and Benin republic.
A critical stakeholder at the border had revealed.“It has come to our notice that contraband products, mostly poultry products, rice and second hand clothes are being smuggled through the border post.
“The new smuggling antics is being carried out in the night through the newly commissioned ECOWAS building corridor.
“We have observed in recent times that in the dead of the night vehicles like SUVs are loaded with these products from Benin Republic and are giving access into Nigeria by the Customs Officers on duty after settling them by way of (Booking ).”
This new trend of smuggling according to our source started since the new ECOWAS building was re-opened as other routes have been blocked.
The source also said that the danger of this new smuggling style is that apart from the smuggled products, most of the people who carried out these naferious activities often wear Army uniforms, as such it is hard to differentiate if they are Nigerians or foreigners.
“More worrisome is that other security agencies at the border are prevented by the Customs Service from checkmating the identities of the smugglers”.
Reacting to the allegations, the Nigeria Customs Service, Seme border Command’s PRO, ASC Saidu Abdullahi said: “The Command will treat the allegations with all the seriousness it deserves, as investigations is ongoing. But the fact that the claim is through the ECOWAS facility does not add up.
“The facility is designed to function based on the one-stop border post concept, whereby a vehicle is stopped, checked and cleared in a single stop by all relevant agencies operating at the Joint Border Post. We have NCS, NIS, PHS, NDLEA, NPF and others.
“It will be irresponsible of them all to connive and sabotage the economy of our republic”.
However, it is imperative for the NCS to checkmate these new smuggling trend to avoid breakdown of law and order at the border post.