Bamidele Makinde, Controller of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Ogun 1 Area Command, cleared the air on Tuesday over the reopening of the Idiroko.
Bamidele Makinde, Controller of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Ogun 1 Area Command, cleared the air on Tuesday over the reopening of the Idiroko border in Ogun State.
Makinde stated that the border has been reopened since last year, despite a viral video showing some Idiroko people celebrating the reopening.
Ex-President Muhammadu Buhari closed all land borders in August 2019 as part of measures to reduce smuggling and enhance domestic rice production.
Buhari ordered the reopening of borders in Seme, Lagos, Illela, Sokoto, Maigatari, Jigawa, and Mfum in 2020, Cross Rivers.
Buhari also ordered the reopening of four other borders in April 2022, including Idiroko in Ogun, Jibiya in Katsina, Kamba in Kebbi, and Ikom in Cross River.
On the other hand, a 21-second video of some Customs operatives executing a symbolic reopening of the Idiroko border amid joy went viral on Monday.
During a press conference with journalists in Abeokuta, Makinde stated that the Idiroko border had since been reopened, contrary to what the viral video claimed.
He stated that the Idiroko border had been reopened, as had the borders of Jibiya in Katsina, Kamba in Kebbi, and Ikom in Cross River.
Makinde, on the other hand, stated that other land borders in the state, such as Imeko, Ohumbe, Ijofin, and Ijoun, remain closed.
He said;
“In Ogun State, as we speak today we have more than six approved borders, Imeko, Ijofin, Ijoun, Ohunbe, we have six of them. It is only Idiroko that is opened now, the others are still under lock.
“Now, we have a new administration and we are just public servants, we implement policies whatever Abuja says we do.
“So, Idiroko is open 24/7, but the others, we don’t have powers to open them. If you do business in those borders, we will seize your goods.”