Land borders arranged to be reopened a week by President Muhammadu Buhari are still closed to movement of products, The Nation has observed

Land borders arranged to be reopened a week by President Muhammadu Buhari are still closed to movement of products, The Nation has observed.

The boundaries were closed on August 20, 2019, to stop the entry of prohibited arms among others to the nation.

However movements of individuals were notices at the borders — Seme (Lagos State), Illela (Sokoto),

The remaining land borders would be to open next week.

Asked when they opened, Dalhatu said”Considering that the Federal Government gave the directive.”

Read aslo: Border closure collapses as Jigawa opens borders with Kano, Bauchi, Katsina and Yobe

But another leading Customs officer who asked not to be named because he can’t talk officially said the reopening of the borders”will accompany official communication. It will not be on the day that the pronouncement was made,”

The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) said compliance with the directive of the President was sacrosanct.

Resources at Seme Customs Area Command, and the Lagos State chapter of the Association of the Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) said that there were no movements of products in the article meant that the border has not been opened.

Had been summoned to Abuja to work out the modalities for the complete reopening of the borders.

The Chairman of this ANCLA chapter in Lagos State, Bisiriyu Hussein, stated”the Customs command is awaiting directive in the headquarters for us to start transacting our legitimate businesses.”

Read also: COVID-19: We’re worried about persons coming through land borders-FG

An importer, Ayuba Ibrahim, said that they were not happy with the refusal of the NCS in the Seme article”allowing us to bring their products into the country since the President directed the reopening of the borders.”

A leading immigration officer who pleaded anonymity said just people with international passports were allowed passage in the border.

He clarified that the decision was to”minimize the number of foreigners entering the country in this era of COVID-19 second wave”

The officer said:”Though the border might not begin working at 100 percent capacity till early next year, even a few foreigners that are permitted to enter the country are those with their valid foreign passports. “We are doing this because of the anxiety of COVID-19.”

In Seme, the Joint Border Patrol Team (JBPT) put in place to enforce movement restrictions through the 16-month closure is still in operation.

Read also: Nigeria reopens land borders after 2 years

Operatives of those JBPT were seen at Owode and Gbaji junction. Some of them maintained several checkpoints along the Badagry-Seme Expressway.

A member of this team said there was no directive from Abuja to disband the task force.

In Mfum, a dealer who gave his name simply as Okafor, confirmed that activities were at a really low ebb since the border hadn’t been opened for”products to come in and move out.”

He declared that some security representatives in the article bordering Nigeria and Cameroon were extorting dealers who rushed there with the expectation of transferring their merchandise.

He explained: “Government officials have become accustomed to the money they have been making during the lockdown and now with all the assumed reopening, nothing has changed. Traders and businessmen are parting with a huge amount before crossing the boundary.”

Read also: Borders opened for Dangote alone, says Stanbic IBTC founder