The Association of Nigerian Licenced Customs Agents (ANLCA) says over N4bn naira has been lost while over 900 trucks loaded with goods are stranded as bank debts accumulate since the closure of borders by the federal government.
The chairman, Taskforce of the association, Samuel Igbowu, said this during an inspection tour of the Seme Border by the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, with a delegation of key security and intelligence agencies in Nigeria on Monday.
The chairman, who was protesting with some members of his association carrying placards, said custom duties have already been paid for the over 900 trucks carrying goods.
According to him, over 4ml naira was paid on a truck as customs duty.
“We are here to show our displeasure over what is happening. Duties have been paid for these goods, but they have been trapped here for over three months now.
“Most of us collected loans from the banks to import these goods and they are not contraband. We are losing money day in, day out. The bank loan is there and interest is accumulating on a daily basis.
“We are pleading with the government to please allow those that have paid duty to go in and deliver to our warehouses”, he urged.
Bisiriyu Isiaka, a farmer and member of the association, said the aim of the border closure which was to promote locally produced goods was being defeated as security agencies seize and destroy locally produced goods from farmers.
Isaiaka said the security agencies do not have any parameter to differentiate imported goods from locally made products and they go about destroying goods which have caused untold hardship for the farmers in the Badagry Local Government Area of Lagos state.
He called on President Muhammadu Buhari to address the security agencies on the matter.
