- As Customs, Police, Immigration collapse checkpoints on Seme border route
As part of efforts to boost community relations at border environs, security agencies operating along the Seme-Krake border route are set to commence sporting activities and other Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) projects at Zongo community.
Security agencies reached this decision at a recent Joint Border Security meeting with heads of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigerian Army, among others in attendance.
The move to deepen engagements with border communities via sporting activities and CSR projects is expected to further enhance information sharing and intelligence gathering for the security agencies.
Speaking with News Diet shortly after the meeting at Seme border, the Area Controller of Seme Customs Command and Chairman of the Joint Border Security Management Team, Comptroller Dera Nnadi mni, disclosed that the Joint Border Security team will be taking its maiden CSR projects and sporting activities to the Zongo community.
“What we agreed is that we will be meeting the leadership of the Arewa community, Yoruba community, Igbo, Ijaw and other dominant tribes in my the region. Recently, I held a meeting with the Arewa community from Zongo, but this time around we are taking the meeting to Zongo in a bid to engage with the leadership of all the tribes living in the community.”
“Our plan is to engage the youths in Zongo community through sporting and other social activities even as we recognize that there is a need for us to be more involved in CSR projects around the border region especially in response to the fuel subsidy removal bearing in mind that this is a trade corridor where the impact will be felt by the border community and traders,” Comptroller Nnadi said.
As part of efforts to minimize the impact of the hike in premium motor spirit (PMS), the Customs boss advised officers to curb vehicular journeys in their personal cars and visits that are not so important.
“Instead of having multiple cars on their way to work, two or three persons can join one vehicle in bid to reduce the cost of fueling these vehicles. When they close, they can also go back home together. These are some of the survival tips that we have been sharing with our officers at the Command.”
“The cost of living all over the world is always a function of increase. It is normal in life that the cost of lifestyle keeps changing and increasing. People should as well see this as an improvement and norm in life,” Nnadi remarked.
It will be recalled that the agencies also agreed an immediate reduction of checkpoints on the roads which has been attained as observed by commuters and residents this week.
The reduction in checkpoints along Seme border axis, which is the busiest border in the sub-region is in fulfilment of the promise made earlier by the Comptroller Nnadi-led Joint Security Management Team in a bid to facilitate cross-border trade.
Our correspondent observed yesterday that some of the checkpoints had been completed pulled down, even as motorists are applauding Customs and other security agencies on what they described as a laudable initiative.
Some of the checkpoints already removed include; Gbaji bridge, Anti bunkering Unit at Gbaji and other locations between Agbara and Badagry for Customs. Meanwhile, Nigeria Police and Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) have equally collapsed some checkpoints between Badagry roundabout and Seme border.
