Sam 'Mobolade, ABEOKUTA
Barely three weeks after the federal government's order for the 2nd phase border reopening, Ogun Area 1 Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Tuesday, disclosed that youth restlessness which hitherto, characterized the border closure has reduced drastically.
This is just as the NCS also disclosed that it intercepted total number of 4, 603 bags of foreign parboiled rice with each weighing 50kg, an equivalent of 8 trailer loads within the past month of April, 2022.
The command's Area Controller, Bamidele Makinde, who disclosed this at Idiroko - Border in Ipokia Local Government Area of the state while giving stewardship of his command within the period under review, also explained that its anti - snuggling operatives intercepted a total of 19 boat engines alongside some foreign hard currency concealed inside one of the seizures.
The Customs CAC attributed the trend to the collaborative efforts of the stakeholders, sister security agencies and traditional rulers, particularly those of the host communities, saying rhat both youths and the old are gradually embracing genuine means of doing businesses rather than engaging in snuggling activities while the border is reopened.
"We are still at the skeletal stage of doing business with all our accredited Customs agents, but the modalities and documentations procedure are there for any body who wants to know how to do legitimate businesses".
"In terms of socio economic effects, life is gradually coming back to the border areas. People that are ready for legal businesses are welcomed, but the restlessness among the youths is going down. The environment has changed, people are responding".
Putting the Duty Payable Value (DPV) of the seizure to worth N82, 821, 337, the NCS Controller listed other items intercepted to include: 300 cartons of poultry products, 89 cartons of foreign wine, 35 cartons and 12 packets of tomatoe paste, 37, 450 litters of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) popularly called petroleum, packed in 1, 498 kegs of 25 litters among others seizures.
The Catalyst Cable
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