Compt Wale Adenuga Convenes Townhall Meeting to Tackle Bottlenecks Along Seme Border, Lagos-Abidjan Corridor

—As Communities Threaten Protest Over Multiple Checkpoints

By DAPO OLAWUNI
The Customs Area Controller, Seme Area Command of Nigeria Customs Service, Compt Wale Adenuga on Monday summoned a stakeholders meeting comprising of community leaders, heads of various security agencies, the clearing agents and the Nigerian Embassy in Benin Republic, to address bottlenecks and trade barriers along the Seme borders and Lagos-Abidjan trade Corridor.

This is coming in order to stave a looming protest which has been threatened by the Badagry communities over multiple checkpoints, harassment of citizens by security agencies and frustration of legitimate trade by security agents.

In his welcome address, Compt Wale Adenuga who recently assumed duty at the Seme borders Command, said that the customs is seeking solutions to building the Lagos Abidjan corridor.

He said “The checkpoints we have on the roads are too much, it is disgraceful, our CGC, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi has directed that the checkpoints be reduced, he also said that on no account should anyone delay a legitimate business.

“After this meeting, it would not be business as usual, we shall create an implementation committee on all we have discussed. The meeting would continue to hold, it is not a one off meeting.

“The CGC Bashir Adewale Adeniyi is now the number one customs officer in the world, and Nigeria cannot be different from what is obtainable in other parts of the world, this is one of the major reasons for this meeting, we want sanity on our roads”

During an interactive session, one of the community leaders from Apa Kingdom, Prince Joseph Adeoluwayemi Agoro lamented that the checkpoints as well as stop and search activities on the border corridor is not being done with professionalism.
According to him, when officers stop a vehicle, they ought to ask the vehicle to park and not delay other vehicles on the row. He also complained about roadblocks mounted by military officers and airforce.

“We are not asking you not to do your job, but do it with courtesy because respect is reciprocal ”

“The Federal Government employed customs officers and the officers on their own employed other officers they call camp boys or kelebe. While the officer is seated enjoying himself, the new recruit is outside doing whatever he likes and he can maltreat you the way he likes. Majority of the fights on the road are caused by the camp boys.

“Security officers do not treat our people with respect, they treat our people with disdain, not minding who you are. Show us respect and we would return it to you, when you do this, there would be peace and tranquility” he said

Also speaking, Alhaji Yusuf Bashir Mohammed, Chairman, Community Development Committee of Badagry West LCDA said that the stakeholders meeting are becoming monotonous and it had not address any major challenges, especially that of multiple checkpoints.

“Every of our meetings is repetition of all same issues, multiple checkpoints, campboys and so on.
The communities have mandated me now that we are coming out to protest widely against multiple checkpoints, for the past seven years we have not had light, our electricity facilities are being vandalised and carted away despite the multiple checkpoints.

“There is female harassment by the military officers at the checkpoints.
The Suntan Beach is losing patronage due to immigration extortion, many of them deliberately don’t wear their name tags.

“If the pressure gets too much, there is no way we would be able to control our youths, and we dont want security collapse in Badagry, we dont want another Boko Haram situation here” he said

Mohammed appealed to customs hierarchy to extend its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to the indigenes and youths of the Badagrycommunity, especially job employments. According to him, many of the youths are idle.

Com Muse Timothy, Chairman of National Youth Council in Badagry on his part lamented that the Nigerian Quarantine Service is frustrating local farmers.
“Quarantine service is running farmers out of business. The immigration officers are personally now transporting people illegally to Benin Republic, it is now their business.
Our coconut, our fish cannot move from here to Badagry, it shouldn’t be a crime that I am born and bread in Badagry, it should not be a crime that my parents cannot speak English”

Another resident of Badagry for the past 30 years, Mr Okey Iruegbu called on the Federal government to lift the ban on importation vehicles throught the borders, saying that despite the ban six years ago, vehicles are still smuggled along the Seme Border.

“Since the ban on importation of vehicles through the borders, it has not reduced smuggling of vehicles, but the federal government is the one losing revenue. It would be better to advise the government to stop the policy” he said

The Oba of Kweme Kingdom in Badagry, Oba Sejiro James Ogungbe appreciated the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi for reducing frequent clashes between customs officers and smugglers inside communities which often lead to fatalities.

According to him “Customs officers should not be chasing smugglers into the villages because when they start shooting, anything can happen. I want to thank the Customs because this has reduced. Also, anytime Customs sees our people with half bag of rice, they would seize it, are we not supposed to eat rice again? Please help us address this area”

On his part, Capt H.I Medugu from the Nigerian Airforce Badagry said there was no better time for the stakeholders meeting than now, due to several complaints along the border post.

“We need to queue into the dream of President Tinubu in driving revenue.
At the border, we must all play our own role to improve operations and make trade very seamless”

On the area of complaints against military officers, especially on female harassment, Capt Medugu said “I have installed CCTV at the checkpoints manned by my officers.

He assured that this would further enhance professionalism of the officers at their bases. He said that women trafficking is on the rise along the border posts and there is no way security agencies can identify the ladies without interacting with them.

Compt Wale Adenuga responding to questions and deliberations assured that the multiple checkpoints shall be reduced in no time. He also sounded a note of warning to other agencies, saying that “if you dont have any business to do on that road, dont come there. If any of you refuse to comply, you would be arrested, i have the backing of the CGC, the IGP, and the NSA are all aware.”

He assured that the Customs CG is working hand in hand with the Inspector General of Police, as well as the National Security Adviser to tackle the menace of multiple checkpoints.

On the use of camp boys, he said that the customs have since abolished the use of camp boys. He warned that any officer still making use of camp boys shall be dealt with appropriately.
On the issue of employment, Compt Adenuga said that employment into customs can not be influenced because it is now done based on merit and it is done online. He however promised to resuscitate the moribund Customs Secondary School in the Badagry community under CSR.