Donkeys, Motorcycles Used To Smuggle In Arms — Customs

Donkeys and motorcycles are used to smuggle arms and ammunition
into the country with the active collaboration of border
communities, Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS)
Hameed Ali said yesterday.

The Comptroller-General who appeared before the House of
Representatives Committee on Customs and Excise, said it was
worrisome that Nigerians living in border communities were unaware
of smuggling as an illegal business.

He added that the NCS was working on a policy to reduce the
years on imported vehicles to ensure that Nigeria is not turned to
a dumping ground for rickety automobiles.

Ali however assured that “we (Customs) are ready to do all
within our powers to ensure that we block all the arms coming into
this country.”

The Comptroller-General said scanners would soon be deployed in
land borders “ as part of the measures to quickly know the contents
of containers.”

He said: ”The influx of arms through approved routes will be
completely eliminated at approved routes because we will have
instruments to detect things in containers or whatever packages
they are concealed in.

“But the issue is that arms do not come through approved routes
alone. Some are carried on the back of donkeys coming in through
unapproved routes and some on the back of motorcycles. Some of
these communities in the border areas are part of the schemes of
moving these things into this country.

“We have lost officers and vehicles to these smugglers and
border communities. In fact, we have stopped counting the number of
vehicles we have lost because almost on a daily basis, I get
reports that our vehicles have been burnt by smugglers in
collaboration with hoodlums in these border communities.

“When we come and talk about our interest in the border, what
are we doing to tell our constituents that they must conform to the
laws? In some places, they are not even aware that smuggling is
against the law.

“In one community, I saw and greeted a woman. I asked after her
husband and what he does for a living. She said what he does was
smuggling. As far as they are concerned, they don’t even know
smuggling is illegal because it is a way of life.

“It is our responsibility as Nigerians to educate these people
on what is right and what is wrong. That is the only way we can
enforce the law.

Urging the people to always share information with security
agents, Ali said: ”The issue of security does not fall on the
shoulder of one agency. It is everybody’s business. I have always
asked a question whenever there is abduction of children. In the
far North, 100 to 200 people will ride on motorcycles, pass through
villages and towns and go to where they are targeting, pick
children and ride back through the same route in broad daylight and
nothing happens.

“It is only when these children are fully secured in the bush by
their abductors that you hear the news. What is the responsibility
of citizens? Must it be a policeman that will stop these people?
Everybody has business in ensuring security. We don’t pass
information.

“Security agencies and Customs need the support of everybody and
I hope members are ready to tell their constituents to work with us
to reduce to the barest minimum illicit activities. We must get the
support of the citizens to effectively do that because these
smugglers are within our communities. If we don’t fight them
together, we will not be able to end this.”

On the policy on imported vehicles, the Customs boss said: ”I
think the more we reduce the number of used vehicles in our
country, the better.

“Most of the vehicles that are imported are rickety vehicles
which have been rejected in their countries of origin. They are
picked up and brought to Nigeria because for us, anything that can
move on the street is a vehicle.

“The idea is to have vehicles that are roadworthy and to do
that, we must put a cap on the type of used vehicles that should
come into this country. We are looking at the reduction of the
number of years.

“We are working with the Customs administration in Benin
Republic to see how we can ensure adherence to ETRS protocols.

“Once we agree with them and they are ready to enforce it, there
is no goods meant for Nigeria that will land at their ports that
will find its way out of there.”

Donkeys and motorcycles are used to smuggle arms and ammunition
into the country with the active collaboration of border
communities, Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS)
Hameed Ali said yesterday.

The Comptroller-General who appeared before the House of
Representatives Committee on Customs and Excise, said it was
worrisome that Nigerians living in border communities were unaware
of smuggling as an illegal business.

He added that the NCS was working on a policy to reduce the
years on imported vehicles to ensure that Nigeria is not turned to
a dumping ground for rickety automobiles.

Ali however assured that “we (Customs) are ready to do all
within our powers to ensure that we block all the arms coming into
this country.”

The Comptroller-General said scanners would soon be deployed in
land borders “ as part of the measures to quickly know the contents
of containers.”

He said: ”The influx of arms through approved routes will be
completely eliminated at approved routes because we will have
instruments to detect things in containers or whatever packages
they are concealed in.

“But the issue is that arms do not come through approved routes
alone. Some are carried on the back of donkeys coming in through
unapproved routes and some on the back of motorcycles. Some of
these communities in the border areas are part of the schemes of
moving these things into this country.

“We have lost officers and vehicles to these smugglers and
border communities. In fact, we have stopped counting the number of
vehicles we have lost because almost on a daily basis, I get
reports that our vehicles have been burnt by smugglers in
collaboration with hoodlums in these border communities.

“When we come and talk about our interest in the border, what
are we doing to tell our constituents that they must conform to the
laws? In some places, they are not even aware that smuggling is
against the law.

“In one community, I saw and greeted a woman. I asked after her
husband and what he does for a living. She said what he does was
smuggling. As far as they are concerned, they don’t even know
smuggling is illegal because it is a way of life.

“It is our responsibility as Nigerians to educate these people
on what is right and what is wrong. That is the only way we can
enforce the law.

Urging the people to always share information with security
agents, Ali said: ”The issue of security does not fall on the
shoulder of one agency. It is everybody’s business. I have always
asked a question whenever there is abduction of children. In the
far North, 100 to 200 people will ride on motorcycles, pass through
villages and towns and go to where they are targeting, pick
children and ride back through the same route in broad daylight and
nothing happens.

“It is only when these children are fully secured in the bush by
their abductors that you hear the news. What is the responsibility
of citizens? Must it be a policeman that will stop these people?
Everybody has business in ensuring security. We don’t pass
information.

“Security agencies and Customs need the support of everybody and
I hope members are ready to tell their constituents to work with us
to reduce to the barest minimum illicit activities. We must get the
support of the citizens to effectively do that because these
smugglers are within our communities. If we don’t fight them
together, we will not be able to end this.”

On the policy on imported vehicles, the Customs boss said: ”I
think the more we reduce the number of used vehicles in our
country, the better.

“Most of the vehicles that are imported are rickety vehicles
which have been rejected in their countries of origin. They are
picked up and brought to Nigeria because for us, anything that can
move on the street is a vehicle.

“The idea is to have vehicles that are roadworthy and to do
that, we must put a cap on the type of used vehicles that should
come into this country. We are looking at the reduction of the
number of years.

“We are working with the Customs administration in Benin
Republic to see how we can ensure adherence to ETRS protocols.

“Once we agree with them and they are ready to enforce it, there
is no goods meant for Nigeria that will land at their ports that
will find its way out of there.”