By Tony Obiechina, Abuja
The Ag Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Mr Adewale Adeniyi, says the organisation will work with sister agencies along Seme border to reduce the number of checkpoints in the corridor.
Adeniyi stated this while on official visit to Seme Area Command on Friday.
While stressing the need to enhance national security, Adeniyi said the task would be carried out with a fewer number of checkpoints, adding that NCS is working with other security agencies to see how checkpoints along Seme Border could be streamlined.
“I also want to challenge you that national security is not responsibility of the government agencies alone”, Adeniyi told his audience which include Association of Nigerian Licenced Clearing Agents, Badagry Local Council officials, traditional rulers, as well as other security operatives and residents of around Seme border.
“It is the business of every citizen, in all the parts of the society they treat national security as a priority, so it should not be the business of the security agencies alone. This is to make life easier for business, so, I want to charge you all to make life and the work of our security agencies easier.
“The criminal lives among us, those that are bringing arms and ammunition live among us, they operate within us. “What we can do to help and re-enforce our national security is if you help us with information for us to catch these criminals who are dangerous to our community.
“They are our enemies, they are the ones who do not like us, so there is need for us to help the security with information.
“Once the security agencies get hold of information, they might not need the check points anymore,” he said.
The Customs boss promised also to engage other agencies to see how they can streamline the checkpoints. He said that not all borders that were closed had been reopened, but discussions were on, as it was a continuous process.
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“Policies that are aimed at enhancing national security are supposed to be dynamic policies and at different times, we will review them.
“We have started reviewing them that is why some borders were opened about a year ago, so it is a continuous process, more will be opened along the line.
“Everything will depend on the kind of report that will get to the government about the ability of the local communities to support the law enforcement agencies so that criminals do not get through these border areas,” he said.
The Acting CG said that if all things worked well, the service would commence discussion on how vehicles would be allowed to pass through land borders.
“So this will be among the discussion once we get the assurance from the community that they will be ready to support the agencies to do their jobs,” he said
