…no respite until neighbouring countries end smuggling

•Customs inaugurate 2 armoured anti-smuggling vessels

•Niger bans importation of foreign (parboiled) rice from Benin

As the anti-smuggling and anti-oil theft borders patrol operation launched recently by the Federal Government of Nigeria, enters its day 26 today, indications are that the economies of Benin and Niger Republics have come under severe pressure even as the Government of Niger Republic has banned the importation of foreign (parboiled) rice into the country in an effort to persuade Nigeria to re-open the borders.

The people of Niger Republic do not eat parboil rice (they eat white rice), but importers based in Benin and Nigeria import parboiled rice to Benin Republic in very large quantities and then re-export same to Niger, Chad and Cameroon (all Nigeria’s next door neighbours) for smuggling into Nigeria where parboiled rice is eaten.

This is coming as the National Security Adviser (NSA) Maj. Gen. Mohammed Babagana Monguno (rtd) has disclosed that the ongoing border security operation, code-named ‘Exercise ‘Swift Response’, will continue in the four geo-political zones of the country until Nigeria’s neighbours take decisive action to ensure that their countries no longer serve as transit points for smuggling of goods into or out of Nigeria.

Speaking at the inauguration of two armoured anti-smuggling patrol vessels acquired by the Nigerian Customs Service, on Thursday in Lagos, Maj. Gen. Monguno said President Muhammadu Buhari had already conveyed to the leaders of the neighbouring countries that the operation will continue until neighbours ensure smuggling into or out of Nigeria stops.

He said: “The bottomline of what Mr. President is saying is that if it is in the interest of neighbouring countries to allow all these dangerous items to transit their territories into Nigeria, so that they can collect transit charges, then it is in Nigeria’s national interest to shut our borders.”

Maj. Gen. Moguno added that the operation has been very successful and did not give any indication that it will end soon.

Sunday Telegraph learnt that as the border hurts the economy of Niger Republic, President of the country, Mahamadou Issoufou had pleaded that the borders be reopened, but Nigeria had told him to first of all stop smuggling of rice and other products across the borders into Nigeria.

To this end, President Issoufou had on September 5, placed a ban on the importation of the foreign (parboil) rice from Benin Republic.

In a circular to all the Customs formations and relevant Government Agencies in Niger a copy of which was made available to PRNigerian; the Nigerien government said that the ban took effect from September 5, 2019.

The DIG in-charge of Customs Service in Niamey, Mr. Oumarou Amadou said revenant agencies of government are to comply strictly or face severe sanctions.

Recall that when the President of Benin Republic, Patrice Guillaume Athanase Talon met with President Buhari at the recent Seventh Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 7) in Yokohama, Japan; he had pleaded that the border operation be brought to an end.

Meanwhile, the Controller General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (rtd) has said at the commissioning of the two anti-smuggling patrol vessels in Lagos that Nigeria’s quest for non-oil revenue is a largely dependent on the Nigerian Customs Service to fight smuggling and bring it to the barest minimum.

According to him, experience has shown that whenever smugglers face stiff enforcement by Customs anti-smuggling operatives on the land, they turn to the waterways to carry out their illegal trade.

He added: “Unfortunately, before now the Service has been weak on the water arising from the lack of seagoing vessels to effectively to checkmate smugglers on the high sea. This situation led to the death of nine Customs Marine officers while confronting deadly petrol smugglers on the sea in 2014.

He explained that the two seagoing vessels are well equipped with necessary firepower and other requirements for long time water patrol is in line with the ongoing repositioning of the Service to effectively deliver its mandate to the nation.

Col. Ali said: “With these vessels, I hope smugglers will no longer take advantage of NCS vulnerability on water to smuggle in contraband. NCS Marine operatives can now sail to intersect them right on the high sea.

“The timing of this commissioning is strategic as it will on the immediate boost the ongoing joint security Ex-Swift Response on the water and henceforth remain symbol of NCS strength on the sea the NCS as a present unbundling of the Service now has four marine Commands, namely Western marine, Easter Maritime, North western marine and North Eastern marine Command. It is therefore the resolve of management that smugglers find no space to operate either on land, air or sea.”

https://www.newtelegraphng.com/2019/09/border-closure-benin-niger-economies-under-pressure/

It a good move, this will encourage the growth of local industry and create job

Open border Biko, I get goods coming in very hot. I no want see my sef for fp busted I beg

Its the customs that ought to wake up. Let government regulate importation thru tariffs

Mumu govt

Good !

How can Benin Republic with a population of 16millon become the sixth largest importer of rice in the world and the largest importer of rice in Africa.

Sometimes I doubt anything like Pan-africanism ever existed.

Yet, the president of Benin wants Nigeria to open its borders for further exploitation.

https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/the-largest-rice-importers-in-the-world.html

Good


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Enough of behaving as a caring SENSELESS Big brother. Our experience with South Africa should be an eye opener. It is time to use the big stick as a intimidatingly caring WISE Big brother.

That's how America rolls in its relationships: If you are getting one from me then I should get two in return on my own terms.

BlackfireX:
Mumu govt

Is that all you can make out of that article, are you a smuggler?
We better keep quiet when we have nothing to say. Your country should come first before any other thing.

They can now feel the devil bite their ar.se

NOC1:

Is that all you can make out of that article, are you a smuggler?
We better keep quiet when we have nothing to say. Your country should come first before any other thing.

I come first, second, third and infinitum.

Very Good Nigeria is not doing Big Brother again. You neighboring countries have been milking us since.

The importers in your countries pays billions of dollars annually to ur respective government on rice duties. then smuggle the rice freely to Nigeria to sell and still make money without paying tax. What nonsense.

Buhari please cut of Benin,ghana,Togo,niger lights their debts is too much. Nigeria cannot be giving light freely when we citizens re paying high fees to enjoy power.

No more economic Big Brother again period

BlackfireX:






I come first, second, third and infinitum.

Don’t sing oh my home, oh my home, when shall I see my home?.... when the time come and don’t come down from our Peaceful air plane to sing our National anthem.
Success to you bro.

Truth be told.... We all need each other to survive...its just as simple as ABC.

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Well-done Buhari

Let's look inward & grow

Nice

Asquare84:
It a good move, this will encourage the growth of local industry and create job

oga..it will make things more expensive like it is already.. Rice is almost 21k for a bag hia in the north from the supposed 16k... Noatter what they do, there will be smuggling because the system is corrupt

ORIENTATION101:
Very Good Nigeria is not doing Big Brother again. You neighboring countries have been milking us since.

The importers in your countries pays billions of dollars annually to ur respective government on rice duties. then smuggle the rice freely to Nigeria to sell and still make money without paying tax. What nonsense.

Buhari please cut of Benin,ghana,Togo,niger lights their debts is too much. Nigeria cannot be giving light freely when we citizens re paying high fees to enjoy power.

No more economic Big Brother again period

Light can't be cut off,agreement and price you pay for daming a flowing river

Slowly, we will get there

Please all borders for medical tourism should also be closed


Let aso rocks clinics be turned to john hopkins

You can decieve zpmbies but not us

Them don open office for custom officials. This is where they will make heavy money as they will be the only legitimate smugglers in the country

the border closure hurting their economy but more importantly causing great harm to the pocket of the already underpaid Nigerian workers

..

It’s not fair

Despite all these tight measures and beefing up of security at the borders, Boko Haram ammunitions still infiltrate the polity.

Who is deceiving who?

Maybe these measures are specifically for some set of people.

Border Close or Open we can't just identify the differences.