Customs boss Mr Adeniyi visits Katsina-Niger borders, directs total blockage

Owing to the recent coup in Niger Republic, Acting Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Mr. Adewale Bashir Adeniyi, was in Katsina on Friday to ensure compliance with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive to close all Nigeria’s land borders linking Nigeria with Niger Republic, pending a peaceful resolution.

Friday at Jibia Magama Border, Mr Adeniyi said the aim of the visit was to reiterate the directives given by president Tinubu, sequel to the decision of ECOWAS to close all land borders with Niger Republic.

According to Adeniyi, the decision taken by the federal government is in the interest of stability not just in Nigeria but in the west Africa subregion, especially for communities along the border areas.

Primarily, Adeniyi urged security agencies in the state to focus on providing effective coverage at the Jibia-Magama and Jibia-Maje border as well as other smaller outlets.

He called on all other sister security agencies with presence in Jibia to work together diligently to ensure that there is full compliance to the directives by ensuring full blockage of Katsina State border with Niger Republic.

Adeniyi said: “The decision has been taken and it is now our responsibility to implement it by ensuring that there is full blockage of the border. Both outbound and outward movement of cargo for now should be suspended until further notice.”

The Acting Customs Boss, however appealed to people in the affected border community to exercise patients as other diplomatic fronts as well as the current engagement between ECOWAS and the Republic of Niger will result in some kind of compliance that is very favourable so that the traders and importers can have their businesses done in an atmosphere of peace