Customs says border closure reduced arms smuggling

The Comptroller, Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Oyo/Osun Command, Abdullahi Zulkifli, yesterday disclosed that the closure of land borders by the Federal Government reduced smuggling of illegal arms and ammunition into the country.

Zulkifli made this disclosure at the command headquarters in Ibadan, Oyo State, while speaking with journalists during the end-of-year briefing.

According to the customs chief, the border drill exercise has been very commendable and has continued to assist in national security, curbing illegal migration, encouraging local farmers and the patronage of made in Nigeria products.

“The border closure has drastically reduced the rate kidnapping and banditry in Nigeria, increased the revenue collection, especially at the sea ports, and most importantly assisted in the fight against smuggling in Nigeria,” he said.

The customs chief maintained that smuggling could only be curtailed, as nobody could stop it completely.

He read out the achievements of the command from January 2019, pointing out that the command had been doing well in the area of revenue collection.

He therefore urged Nigerians to take advantage of the Federal Government’s programmes on agriculture and other empowerment programmes to key into legitimate means of livelihood, as the border exercise was still in force and that the command would not relent in its efforts to ensure that smuggling became unattractive in Oyo/Osun command.