Mr Martins Abutu, the Controller of Kano/Jigawa Customs Command, says the command is seeking closer relationship with the people living in border areas to check smuggling.
Abutu said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Dutse.
He said that there was the need to otherwise engage youths who lived around the border areas who were engaged in smuggling with guns.
“Rather, we should look for an alternative and better jobs for them”.
The controller said it was because of this that the command was seeking partnership with Jigawa State Government to engage youths in skills acquisition like carpentry, tailoring and metal works, among others.
Abutu also solicited the support of traditional rulers, stakeholders and other security agencies around the border areas to help them in that regard.
He said that the command, in collaboration with the state government and other security agencies, recently organised a stakeholders meeting in Dutse on ways to eradicate smuggling and other crimes around the border zones. (NAN)