Mr Adewale Adeniyi, the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, stressed on Saturday that the decision to reopen borders in the country lies solely with President Bola Tinubu.
He made this statement during an interaction session with members of the Kongolam border community in Mai’adua Local Government Area of Katsina State. In response to the agitation for the reopening of the borders, Adeniyi guaranteed that discussions and consultations were taking place concerning the issue.
He stated that the service will concentrate on eliminating barriers that impede free trade in accordance with the current administration's aim of enhancing economic prosperity.
He also mentioned that proactive measures were taken to decrease the number of checkpoints along the border posts and enhance collaboration between service personnel and traders, noting that the government is conscious of the concerns of the border communities, especially in relation to the number of checkpoints and the closure of land borders.
The service, according to Adeniyi, was cooperating with the police and other sister agencies to overcome obstacles affecting free trade in the border areas. He observed that markets around the borders serve various purposes, not solely for cross-border trade, and emphasized the need to monitor and promote local consumption of food produced in Nigeria to tackle food insufficiency.
Adeniyi stated that the Export Prohibition Act prohibited the export of maize, rice, beans, yam, millet, and sorghum. He expressed gratitude to other stakeholders for their support while acknowledging the synergy between the service and other security agencies.
