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From Desmond Mgboh, Kano
The Federal Government has concluded plans to set up a Joint Task Force to ensure full compliance with the Export Provision Act.
Comptroller General of Customs, Basher Adeniyi, disclosed this in Kano at the weekend, saying that the arrangement was being coordinated by the National Security Adviser.
According to him, operational orders to that effect would soon be rolled out, adding that the Force would include the Nigeria Customs Service as the lead agency, the Nigeria Police and the Nigeria Army.
The Customs boss regretted that they had been witnessing some form of restiveness to the policy in certain border communities adding that, “We have gotten a matching order that if we have to employ force to ensure compliance with the Export Act, then we will do it“.
He, however, reiterated that they had been engaging the border communities to seek their cooperation and support towards the act and the rest of the mandate of the Nigeria Customs Services.
He observed that for the first time in history, they had secured the approval of the National Assembly to construct six big projects in education and healthcare for communities in the border area.
He said the projects would give them a sense of belonging and incentivize their willingness to support the Nigeria Customs Service to discharge its assignments to the nation.
Later, the Comptroller General led a delegation of officers to the Dawanu International Grains Market in Kano where he harped on the need to comply with the Export Provision Act and cautioned them against hoarding essential food items for personal gains.
He stressed that across the globe, including America, countries determine the lists of items that can be imported into and exported out of their land.
