BORDER CLOSURETHE POSITIVES)

The busiest land border in Nigeria, Seme has been closed. This brought a halt to several trades, both traders and workers who shuttle between Benin Republic and Nigeria were also affected. However, the border will remain shut for the next 28 days or more.

This operation is focused on the prohibition of fraudulent exports of petroleum products and fight against importation through land borders of second-hand vehicles, food produce like rice and some other products.

Rice is one of the major goods transported via these land borders and there has been alot of uproar by both the sellers and buyers of this farm produce. Despite the spate of criticism that have come as a result of the border closure, the Rice Processors Association of Nigeria (RIPAN) has come out to back the decision by the Federal Government to close the borders. This according to them would save the country about $400 million spent on smuggling rice into the country.

The spokesman of Nigeria Customs Service, Mr Joseph Attah, described the exercise as a "joint operation aimed at checking the influx of smuggled goods, small arms and ammunition as well as illegal immigrants to Nigeria." This time, the Federal Government has deemed it necessary to act in order to boost local production of food items and manufactured goods, in line with the Central Bank of Nigeria, drew up a list of 41 items whose importation would no longer be welcomed in the country.

Amidst persistent complaints from affected Nigerians, this is the most effective measure so far adopted in terms of curtailing the influx of smuggled rice and other goods into the country. The Comptroller General of the NCS, Col. Hameed Ali said the agency's revenue has risen to over N5 billion daily since the closure.

Also more than 200 illegal immigrants were apprehended across the border and thousands of bags of rice and other contrabands confiscated. Since the closure of borders with Nigeria, Niger and Benin have reportedly banned the importation of rice to their country.

FTC....hmnmm