Many Nigerians’ hope about reopening of the country’s land border has been dashed.
This happened on Monday, October 14, when Comptroller-General of Nigerian Customs Service, (NCS) retried Col. Hameed Ali, declared that all import and export of goods from the nation’s land borders remain banned until there is an agreement with neighbouring countries about all kinds of goods that should enter and exit the country.
Ali said the measure is for the security agencies to be able to scan the goods entering the country.
The customs boss made this known in Abuja during a joint press briefing on joint boarder patrol that is codenamed ‘EX-SWIFT RESPONSE.”
According to him, “We hope that by the time we get to the end of this exercise, we would have exactly between we and our neighbors 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 boarders where we have scanners to verify the kind of goods and how healthy to our people can be conducted.”