Audu Ogbeh, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Developments has said that the Nigerian Customs Service would need helicopters to properly secure Nigeria’s 4070km land borders against the high rate of smuggling in the country.
Ogbeh made the disclosure recently when he played host to Hameed Ali, comptroller general of Customs, who visited him in his office, as both parties discuss ways of facilitating trade and curbing smuggling in line with the Federal government ease of doing business drive.
Ogbeh at the meeting decried the manner in which custom men are being killed by smugglers while lauding efforts of the Nigerian Customs in facilitating trade and export of agro-commodity exports.
“I congratulate you on the work you are doing on trade facilitation and curbing of smuggling even at times your officers die in the line of duty. Customs will more helicopters to secure our 4070km land borders,” Ogbeh said.
“The local growers and millers of rice will be out of business if smuggling persists. One of them was with me yesterday, who owns one of the largest mills in Nigeria and was saying that we are sleeping but I told him I am not aware that you people are mounting heavy security to stop the rice from coming in.
In response to Ogbeh statement, Ali, comptroller general of Customs said, “Our major contribution is to ensure that we can reduce to the barest minimum the importation of rice to support local production.
“Importation of products like poultry which is prohibited from our own country which are illicit items is our primary mandate and we going to continue to do it diligently to ensure that our own economy improves and we are able to feed not only ourselves and feed the whole of Africa and the whole world,” he said.
Speaking on paramilitary efforts to facilitate trade and export, the custom boss said “we have no problem with the export of agro-commodities once the exporters meet the requirements. As you know, there is no duty for exports. Ours is to do the necessary documentation, and release it as quickly as possible.”
“There are items that have been statutory exempted from duty, and those ones we know. Those ones that are dutiable, we would ensure that the process is faster.
“Am here with the DG for enforcement, as we enter the Yuletide period, we have already stationed our members strategically at the land borders. We have 4070km of land borders and we cannot be everywhere, and we are making all the efforts to ensure they are properly manned, “he added.
HARRISON EDEH, ABUJA
