Border closure retaliation: Shippers groan as Benin Customs imposes N9m duty per Nigerian truck on transit goods
•As local manufacturers facing shortage of raw materials

Nigerian importers and exporters have decried the N9 million duty per truck imposed by Benin Republic Customs on transit goods passing through the country’s corridor.

Daily Sun learnt that the situation forced some shippers to pay more to reroute the goods via Togo port to Nigeria following the government of the Republic of Benin decision to stop all Nigeria-bound trucks laden with transit goods coming from Cote D’ivoire, Ghana and Togo.

However, shippers described the situation to be a revenge meausure over Nigeria’s closure of its borders in 2019, which lasted for more than one year.

Presently, most local manufacturers in the food, beverage and tobacco sector are said to be short of raw materials.

Speaking with Daily Sun, the Chairman of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANCLA), Seme Border chapter, Bisiriyu Fanu, said some people have to ship from Togo port because the Beninese Customs are demanding bill close to that amount.

According to him, that is why importers are putting their goods inside containers and ship it from Togo or Ghana instead of crossing through Ilakoji border because of that demand.

Meanwhile, an economist, Dr. Muda Yusuf, said that Benin Customs imposing duty transit goods constitute total disregard for ECOWAS protocols on trade and movement within the subregion.

He said the development has been taking toll on Nigerian businesses involved in cross border trade within the subregion. He urged government to take proactive measures to intervene and resolve the issue.

Also speaking, President, Africa Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria (AFFLON), Otunba Frank Ogunojemite, said it was a revenge measure becuase when Nigeria took the decision to close the border, the Beninese were not consulted.

“So Nigeria is judicially violated the rule of ECOWAS Liberation Schemes (ETLs), which caused hazard to Benin Republic, they are trying to do revenge measurement on Nigeria.

“But instead of them to have stopped trading, they decided to put money penalty on Nigeria. Invariably, it is going to add to the cost of goods brought into the country and violated the rules.

“There is need to go back to the roundtable, speak to all the ECOWAS countries and come to a collective decision to resolve the issue,” he said.

DubaiLandLord1:
Good news.

GMB closed our boarder, he broke an ECOWAS law while doing that.

Two can play the game.

vedaxcool:
[s][/s]

Benin has been violating every protocol for many years now. Benin is amongst the 10 largest importers of rice, yet it's population does have that capacity to consume that quantity. The target? Nigeria. It has been coordinating economic sabotage of the Nigerian economy. That you hate PMB does not mean you should apply common sense when assessing issues especially when it has to do with your country's interest. Whatever game they are playing, they will eventually loose.

It is sad many smugglers who are unpatriotic continue to carry their campaign of calumny against Nigeria. We must prosecute all criminals ruthlessly. The greed in the heart of a criminal in this country is capable of cannibalising its own family to satisfy such appetite.

stonemasonn:
You ban the importation of rice, not close the whole border.
You are talking of severe punishment...who's to blame? Buhari did not fight corruption from onset as he promised so who is he going to punish.

vedaxcool:


One man should fight corruption while your judiciary frees criminals and the rest of you nairalanders can mobilize support for thieves. Or you think fighting corruption is a one man's fight? Let's be serious.

vedaxcool:
[s][/s]

Benin has been violating every protocol for many years now. Benin is amongst the 10 largest importers of rice, yet it's population does have that capacity to consume that quantity. The target? Nigeria. It has been coordinating economic sabotage of the Nigerian economy. That you hate PMB does not mean you should apply common sense when assessing issues especially when it has to do with your country's interest. Whatever game they are playing, they will eventually loose.

It is sad many smugglers who are unpatriotic continue to carry their campaign of calumny against Nigeria. We must prosecute all criminals ruthlessly. The greed in the heart of a criminal in this country is capable of cannibalising its own family to satisfy such appetite.

vedaxcool:
[s][/s]

Benin has been violating every protocol for many years now. Benin is amongst the 10 largest importers of rice, yet it's population does have that capacity to consume that quantity. The target? Nigeria. It has been coordinating economic sabotage of the Nigerian economy. That you hate PMB does not mean you should apply common sense when assessing issues especially when it has to do with your country's interest. Whatever game they are playing, they will eventually loose.

It is sad many smugglers who are unpatriotic continue to carry their campaign of calumny against Nigeria. We must prosecute all criminals ruthlessly. The greed in the heart of a criminal in this country is capable of cannibalising its own family to satisfy such appetite.

flokii:


Do you know that a bag of rice that sells for 30k now in Nigeria is less than 7k in Niger republic?
Imagine the profit they'll make by smuggling re-bagged rice from Niger Republic to Nigeria.. we're talking millions here yet there is no searchlight on the Nigeria-Niger republic border.

We can't keep deceiving ourselves and expect things to get better.. whatever is applicable to Benin Republic should also be applicable to Niger republic.

Maxymilliano:
The grasses will always suffers when two elephants engage in a duel ...

The poor and downtrodden masses of the country will be at the receiving when the multiplier effects of such retaliatory policies begin to manifest.

An African proverb goes thus: the weak get hurt in conflicts between the powerful.

vedaxcool:


A proverb goes when two elephants make love, the grass still suffers....

dasparrow:


That proverb is wrong. The right proverb goes "When two elephants FIGHT, it is the grass that suffers."

And for your information, animals don't make love. They MATE for the sole purpose of procreation.

Tofax:


https://www.sunnewsonline.com/border-closure-retaliation-shippers-groan-as-benin-customs-imposes-n9m-duty-per-nigerian-truck-on-transit-goods/

So Nigeria is judicially violated the rule of ECOWAS Liberation Schemes (ETLs), which caused hazard to Benin Republic, they are trying to do revenge measurement on Nigeria.