By: Manoah Kikekon
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| Hon. Setonji David |
The House of Assembly member representing Badagry Constituency II, Hon. Setonji David, has asked if it's a crime to live in Badagry over the unlawful activities of Nigeria Customs Service officers along the border area.
This was made public on Tuesday by Posu David the media aid to the honourable member, a copy of the speech made available to News Peddlers readers:
"Is it a crime to live in Badagry? I don't know how coconuts are now contrabands. The Comptroller should direct the Coordinator, Border Drill Operations Team, Zone A Ikeja, to release, with immediate effects, the seized trucks and pickup loaded with about 1,450 bags of locally sourced coconut to my people. It is not a crime to live in Badagry," Setonji said.
He said, in society where everyone seems to ignore wrong actions and inactions, the consequences end up affecting lives and property. In a society where no one seems to see anything bad in a bad system or practice, the whole thing will end up in a shambles. To have a better society therefore, every system that peoples the affairs of a people ought to be checked so to cut out excesses and unnecessary exercise of power.
Setonji, who does not glorify anything that subjects his people to inhuman or degrading conditions or treatment. Seeing no reason why power should be misused or why influences should be driven beyond measure. To him, the essence of power is to affect lives positively.
At the close of the year 2019, Setonji David had raised a motion to the misuse of power by the Customs officials in Badagry. Whenever he uses the road, he does observe everything that happens especially how they treat his people who go about their legitimate businesses. In particular, Setonji condemned the continuous seizure of farm products from Badagry border community by the Customs and other security agents.
In the motion, Setonji called on the then Comptroller General of Customs, Hammed Ali, to direct his men to stop further harassment of coconut sellers within Badagry and its environs. He decried that his people were passing through hell with the continuous harassment of members of Lagos State Coconut Sellers and Traders Association by Customs officials in Badagry.
The Deputy Speaker, Wasiu Eshinlokun-Sanni, said the activities of Customs in Badagry were condemnable and overzealousness on its part. The actions of the service could discourage the local farmers from performing their legitimate work.
Sympathizing with the affected residents, a member representing Mushin Constituency II, Olayiwola Olawale, said it was worrisome because the seized products were not contraband.
Honourable Sanni Agunbiade, representing Ikorodu, said the activities of the Customs were affecting the farmers in the area. Agunbiade said the way people were harassed showed that something was wrong between the Customs and the business owners of farm products in the area.
In particular, the seizure of the said goods took place at the Agbara Customs Point after it had left the popular Agbalata Central Coconut Market beside the Customs base in Badagry.
"Is it a crime to live in Badagry? I don't know how coconuts are not contrabands. The Comptroller should direct the Coordinator, Border Drill Operations Team, Zone A Ikeja, to release with immediate effects the seized trucks and pickup loaded with about 1,450 bags of locally sourced coconut to my people," Setonji added.
When Setonji David drew home his salient points, the Speaker Rt. Honourable Dr Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa equally directed that the clerk of the House communicate the development with Mr Governor. And the goods were released.