The Controller of the Nigeria Customs Service( NCS ), Ogun 1 Area Command, Bamidele Makinde, on Tuesday, cleared the air over the reopening of the Idiroko…
Makinde said the frontier had been reopened since last year, contrary to a viral videos which showed some people of Idiroko jubilating over the boundary reopening.
Ex – President Muhammadu Buhari had in August 2019, shut all property edges as part of efforts to curb smuggling and enhance local production of rice.
In 2020, Buhari ordered the reopening of frontiers in Seme in Lagos, Illela in Sokoto, Maigatari in Jigawa, and Mfum in Cross River.
Additionally, Buhari mandated the reopening of four additional edges in April 2022, including Idiroko in Ogun, Jibiya in Katsina, Kamba in Kebbi, and Ikom in Cross River.
However, a 21-second video of some customs officials joyfully reopening the Idiroko margin went viral on Monday.
Makinde responded that, in contrast to what the viral clip implied, the Idiroko margin had since been reopened during a press briefing with reporters in Abeokuta.
He said Idiroko margin had been reopened alongside Jibiya in Katsina, Kamba in Kebbi and Ikom in Cross River.
However, Makinde claimed that the state’s another land borders, such as Imeko, Ohumbe, Ijofin, and Ijoun, are still closed.
He said” In Ogun State, as we speak today we have more than six approved borders, Imeko, Ijofin, Ijoun, Ohunbe, we have six of them. It is only Idiroko that is opened today, the others are also under lock.
” Today, we have a new management and we are just people servants, we implement guidelines whatever Abuja says we do.
” So, Idiroko is open 24 / 7, but the others, we don’t have powers to open them. We will capture your products if you conduct business within those borders.