The authorities of the Nigeria Customs Service and the Beninois Customs’ Service met on Thursday at the Idiroko border, Ogun State, and agreed that both countries must work together in check-mating the activities of smugglers across their common borders.
The NCS, which was represented by the Controller, Ogun State Area Command, Comptroller Haruna Mamudu, and his Beninois counterpart, the Regional Director of Customs, Col. Pierre-Claver Tossou, said the time had come for both countries to implement the Economic Community of West Africa Countries’ protocol on transit of vehicles.
In the memorandum of understanding signed by both countries, they agreed that fairly used vehicles popularly called Tokunbo coming into Nigeria must be escorted to the border by Beninois Customs’ personnel and they should formally hand them over to their Nigerian counterparts.
Mamudu said this was the only way both countries could discourage smuggling of such vehicles through bush paths and the necessary duty on them would be paid to the government.
He said, “Concerning the transit of vehicles that we are talking about, it means that the movement of Tokunbo vehicles coming to Nigeria from Republic of Benin must be coordinated. The Beninois Customs’ must escort them to our common border and then submit the manifest of the vehicles to us.
“Through the manifest, we will know the number of vehicles and the duty payable on them. That is the way to go.”
Mamudu said when the MoU was signed some months ago in Abuja, it was only obeyed for one week, and the Tokunbo vehicle smugglers went back to their old ways.
He explained that the command had intensified its patrol on those bush paths the smugglers use, and some seizures had been made.
Mamudu said, “Why will the smugglers pay duty in Republic of Benin and then refuse to pay duty in Nigeria?
“However, we are sounding a note of warning to all smugglers to follow the path of honour because any seizure made is irreversible. If the drivers of such vehicles are caught, they will also face prosecution.”
(Punch)
No comments:
Post a Comment