The Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service, Col. Ahmadu Ali (rtd) on Wednesday told seven Senate committees that the agency was finding it difficult to stop smuggling because smugglers are protected by members of border communities.
Ali spoke at the Senate public hearing of the 2022-2024 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP) held in Abuja.
According to him, because of lack of government presence at the border communities, the smugglers provide employment opportunities to the communities around the border, which has made them to collude with smugglers and in the process frustrate efforts of the Nigerian Customs Service.
“Smugglers provide employment for the border communities hence they cooperate with the smugglers than the government” he said.
Specifically, he revealed that the nation has lost revenue due to under payment at the Nations ports, stressing that absence of scanners has also made the custom service to resort to hundred percent inspection which according to him is cumbersome and time consuming.
The Custom boss was reacting to questions by the chairman of senate on finance, Senator Solomon Adeola on issue of smuggling, expansion of scope of business and under payment of custom duties on imported duties.
“What are the internal control measures in line with revenue reported by the Nigeria customs” Adeola asked?
Responding, Ali observed that “To stop smuggling completely, we need technology, manpower and cooperation of citizens living in the border communities”.
Continuing, “when you go to these border communities, you find out that in most cases, there is no presence of government, no water. Some have to cross to other countries to be able to get medical attention. When you approach them for cooperation they decline to cooperate”.
He maintained that the border communities cooperate with smugglers to fight government agencies.
