By: Manoah Kikekon
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| Customs checkpoints used to illustrate the story |
BADAGRY, Nigeria – In a bold move to address long-standing complaints of extortion and trade impediments, the Nigeria Customs Service, Seme Area Command, has officially declared that only two checkpoints are authorized to operate along the entire Badagry-Seme corridor.
The approved locations are Agbara and Gbaji, with all other roadblocks deemed illegal and unauthorized.
The announcement was made by the Seme Area Controller, Comptroller Wale Adenuga, following a crucial stakeholder forum focused on unclogging trade bottlenecks and eliminating multiple taxation on the vital international route. Comptroller Adenuga emphasized that the Service is actively collaborating with other security agencies to streamline operations.
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He stated that while effective patrols are necessary for robust border security and combating smuggling, the proliferation of unauthorized checkpoints would not be tolerated, signaling a new drive towards efficiency and transparency.
“He said the Service is working with other agencies to reduce multiple checkpoints while maintaining effective patrols for border security,” a statement from the forum revealed. Comptroller Adenuga further appealed directly to the media and the general public, urging their cooperation as watchdogs.
He called for their support in exposing illegal checkpoints and bolstering the Customs’ efforts to restore sanity and ensure transparent operations along the strategic economic gateway that links Nigeria with the Benin Republic and other West African nations.
Despite this clear directive, a stark contradiction persists on the ground. Investigations and accounts from frequent road users reveal a disheartening reality: over 20 individual checkpoints, many manned by personnel in various uniforms, still dot the landscape from Agbara to the Seme Border and the Owode-Apa junction. Concerned residents and business owners have expressed skepticism, calling on all stakeholders to ensure the Controller’s words translate into immediate action.
They are demanding that the number of checkpoints be reduced to the officially stated two, as promised. Adding to their anxiety are growing concerns about the methods of anti-smuggling operations, with reports of Customs officers chasing suspected smugglers through the Badagry community and engaging in sporadic gunfire, raising serious safety alarms for inhabitants.