By Adedapo Adesanya
There will be no bringing in or taking out of any goods into the country by land, be it legitimate or otherwise as the Federal Government of Nigeria has called for the complete closure of its borders.
This disclosure was made public by the Comptroller-General, Nigerian Customs Service, Mr Hameed Ali, in Abuja during a joint press briefing on joint border patrol that is codenamed “Ex-Swift Response.”
He reportedly said that all import and export of goods from the nation’s land borders were banned pending when there is an agreement in place with neighbouring countries on the kind of goods that should enter and exit Nigeria.
Mr Ali said that before this resolution is reached – all goods must only enter through the legitimate air and seaports where they can undergo thorough scanning and certified fit for consumption.
“We hope that by the time we get to the end of this exercise, we would have exactly between us and our neighbours agree on the type of goods that should enter and exit our country.
“For now, all goods, whether illicit or non-illicit, are banned from going and coming into Nigeria. Let me add that for the avoidance of doubt that we included all goods because all goods can equally come through our seaports.
“For that reason, we have deemed it necessary for now that importers of such goods should go through our controlled borders where we have scanners to verify the kind of goods and how healthy to our people can be conducted,” he said at the briefing.
Modupe Gbadeyanka