Thousands of importers and exporters from Nigeria and other west african countries that rely on land border to bring in or take out their consignments were on Wednesday stranded at these me and idiroko borders after the nigeria security operatives shut down the borders for joint security exercise.
Businessday gathers that the joint security operatives led by the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) and the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) have in collaboration with the Armed Forces of Nigeria( afn)a swell as the nigeria Police Force (NPF), launched an intelligence gathering operation by conducting a joint border security exercise, code named “EX-SWIFT RESPONSE”.
A statement by Joseph Attah, national public relation officer of NCS, said the operation was part of the measures put in place by the government to secure Nigeria’s land and maritime borders from smuggling and other nefarious activities.
He said the joint security exercise was being coordinated by the office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and would take place in four geopolitical zones -South-south, south-west, northCentral and North-west.
However, it was gathered that the exercise had led to the closure of Nigerian borders to human movement, import and export businesses between neighbouring countries of benin republic where a good number of Nigerians travel through on daily to access markets in both Benin, Togo, Ghana and Ivory Coast.
A source close to the Nigeria Customs Service, Idiroko command, who spoke on anonymity, confirmed the closure of the border to our correspondent.
The source said that vehicular movement in and out of the border has been stopped by the security operative.
When asked when the blockage will be lifted, the source said, “I don’t know but I know that the operation is led by the Nigeria Customs Service.”
Las is fa nu, chairman, association of nigerian licensed customs Agents (ANLCA) Seme border chapter, confirmed the closure of the border.
He said the exercise had made travellers stranded at the border as business activities at the two border stations remain standstill.
“When the Federal Government decided to do something, there is nothing anybody can do about it. They( Customs) just informed us and they said we should continue with our normal business but unfortunately the normal business is not happening because everything is standstill,” he said.
Fanu, who decried the closure of the border, wondered why Nigeria that is a signatory to many protocols shut down its borders.
