Arewa Youths Bemoan Ban On Land Border

Members of the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF), Seme, Badagry, Lagos State Chapter have said that the decision to completely close land borders against importation in the country would be more counter-productive than the partial closure.

The earlier partial closure, according to them, has had devastating effects on the economy of those plying legitimate trade across the border, regretting that, “it left many Nigerians jobless when they should have been allowed to continue their legitimate businesses and paying duties legally.”

This observation was contained in a statement signed by the Forum Chairman, Mallam Adamu Sambo, where he stated that, the closure has encouraged illegal businesses across the border to the extent that the country is not only losing huge revenue but also heading towards the precipice.

“In recent times, events have proved that, agents and importers of goods through the land borders have not been carrying out their businesses legally as they connive with a few bad eggs in the Nigerian Custom authority, who are paid privately and thereby deny the nation of huge revenue,” Sambo lamented.

The concerned youth therefore suggested that, instead of complete closure of the land borders, the Nigerian customs authority should seek strict regulation of the importation of goods that would put money into the nation’s treasury against closure that would encourage  smuggling. They insisted that lifting the ban on the land border importation would make life more meaningful for the betterment of the helpless Nigerian who seek the land importation as a major source of survival.

Sambo pointed out further that, by and large, “it is obvious that the sea port importation in itself is no saint since over 2671 pump action riffles have been smuggled through the acclaimed holy sea ports.”

He broke down the details as follows: “661 copies in February, 440 in June, 1100 in September and another recent 470 copies. It is beyond any reasonable doubt that these unchecked importation of arms is inimical to the peaceful coexistence of Nigeria particularly as the country is combating terrorism and other rebellious tendencies.

“In addition, records have it that despite the closure of the land borders, over sixty thousand (60000) cars have been smuggled into Nigeria through the land borders. Of what significance then is the closure of the land borders? Importers and Agents surviving on importation through both land and sea port should therefore be allowed to carry out their importation legally but with strict and formally monitored precedence for the welfare of the jobless people and to simultaneously generate more revenue into federal government treasury,” Sambo reasoned.

Source: Leadership