Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), has verified the closing of the Niger Republic border due to a presidential instruction.
In a statement issued in Abuja, he also verified his travel to the Ilela Border, which had been blocked due to the recent coup of Niger Republic’s democratically elected government.
He assured the service’s commitment to implementing the Presidential instruction on border closure.
The statement reads below:
Following the recent overthrow of a Democratically elected government in Niger Republic, which prompted the Nigerian Government to shut down the Nigeria-Niger borders, the Acting Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi has re-echoed President Tinubu’s cardinal reason for taking the measure, saying that the exercise was not meant to infuse hardship on Nigerians.
The CGC, who was on a working visit to Illela Border Station on Friday morning to oversee and analyze the exercise’s implementation, expressed joy with the level of compliance by citizens, according to the statement.
He stated that the decision was made by ECOWAS, which President Bola Tinubu chairs, and that “we are optimistic that this effort will yield positive results,” adding, “I must tell you that President Tinubu is committed to restoring peace in this axis.”
He also said the exercise would secure Nigeria’s democracy and social stability, considering the current state of uncertainty in the neighbouring Niger Republic.
Responding to questions from newsmen as to whether the exercise will affect Customs’ mandate of generating revenue, the CGC said the Service is aware of the situation and has already taken proactive measures to address it strategically.
He reiterated that the administration of President Ahmad Bola Tinubu is committed to protecting the well-being of the citizens and their businesses, saying that “I have the optimism that borders will soon be opened and businesses of Nigerians will continue to thrive.”