By Adedapo Adesanya
Federal government may have to continue to leave the land borders closed on the premise that the action has brought about reduction in the number of illegal weapons and ammunition making it into the country.
Minister of Information and Culture, Mr Lai Mohammed, speaking recently at Seme, the border land between Nigeria and Benin Republic, said the move has brought about gains to the country.
Mr Mohammed was part of the federal government ministerial delegation on inspection and assessment of the potency of the border closure directive. He was with Ministers of Interior, Mr Rauf Aregbesola; Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyema, Minister of State for Finance and National Planning, Mr Clement Agba.
Others were the National Security Adviser, Gen. Babagana Monguno (rtd), Comptroller-General of Immigration, Mohammed Babandede and the Comptroller-General of Customs who was represented by a Deputy Comptroller-General.
The minister said that 95 percent of illicit drugs and weapons being used for acts of terrorism and kidnapping in Nigeria come in through the porous borders. Mr Mohammed explained that since the partial closure, the acts had been drastically reduced.
“Our conclusion is that, the arms and ammunition these terrorists and criminal elements were using no longer gain access into the country.
“In addition, the drugs which affect the health and the wellbeing of Nigerians have equally been reduced,” he said.
The Minister also added that the decision of the FG had seen illegal goods worth N3.5 billion seized as they could no longer make their ways into the country.
“The estimated values of the apprehended items are about N3.5 billion,’’ he said.
Mr Mohammed further said that the partial closure had so far curbed the smuggling of foreign rice into the country, in addition to other prohibited items
“Some items seized include 38,743-50kg bags of parboiled foreign rice, 514 vehicles, 1,012 drums filled with PMS, 5,400 Jerri cans of vegetable oil, 346 motorcycles, 10, 553 Jerri cans of PMS and 136 bags of NPK fertilizer used for making explosives.”
The minister also said that in the area of security, no fewer than 296 illegal immigrants had been arrested during the ongoing exercise.
“In the area of security, the ongoing exercise has recorded a number of seizures and arrests that would have had grave security consequences.”
He also noted that Nigeria’s neighbour, Niger Republic has already ordered the ban on rice imports from Nigeria and said this had brought about more engagement with local farmers.
“Our series of interactions and engagements with Rice Miller Association of Nigeria since the commencement of this exercise, has shown that the border closure has enhanced more production and milling of Nigerian rice.
“Patronage of Nigerian rice has increased and farmers are expanding their farms as well as engaging more hands,” he added.
Aduragbemi Omiyale