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•Shippers, clearing agents lament inactivity at nation’s land borders
By Steve Agbota
The continued closure of the nation’s borders by the Federal Government, following last month’s Niger coup de’tat is threatening business activities in that corridor as cargoes bound for Niger Republic as well as those incoming to Nigeria are currently trapped at the land borders of both countries.
This is even as export and transit cargoes between the two nations valued at over $180 million have taken a dive on the back of sanctions imposed by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
The acting Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, said the Federal Government directed the Service to halt all transit cargoes heading to Niger Republic through all land borders and seaports across the country.
Nigeria Customs service began enforcement of the directive by shutting the Nigerian-Niger Republic borders at the seven northern Nigeria states of Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina Jigawa, Yobe and Borno. This also affected the borders in Western zones such as Seme, Idiroko borders and others.
However, shippers and clearing agents who spoke to Daily Sun at the weekend lamented the lack of business activities due to the sanctions and closure of borders against Niger Republic.
An importer in Kastina, Isiak Adamu, confirmed to Daily Sun that since the pronouncement, all import and export have been put on hold across the Northern borders, adding that thousands of cargoes bound for Nigeria and Niger Republic are currently stranded because of Customs enforcement of the pronouncement.
“The goods that are stranded across these borders are giving us a concern because most of them are perishable goods. They can go back and they can’t come in. Trade activities are paralysed because it is when there is free flow of goods and persons that we will have business activities around here.
“You know Niger is the biggest trading partner of Nigeria among the landlocked countries. Huge trades take place between the two countries everyday before this crisis. If you may recall the trans-Saharan road corridor borders with seven northern Nigerian states – Sokoto, Kebbi, Katsina, Zamfara, Jigawa, Yobe, and Borno. This is a vital trade route for Nigeria, connecting the country to its landlocked neighbours in the Sahel region. The crisis is already posed a danger for the revenue and business around here,” he lamented.
However, the Seme Chapter Chairman of Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) Onyekachi Ojinma, said borders remained the same, adding tit is not business friendly for now because it is yet reopen to business.
He said the border between Benin and Niger is sealed following the instruction of the President due to the current crisis of taking over government. “There are a lot of Nigerian bound goods from Niger to Nigeria that are stranded. The one going from Nigeria-Cotonou to Niger are stranded at Cotonou border.
There is no change in trade activities at the border. The trade there is still remain the same for now. We are expecting a little bit of positive change. Cargoes are stranded.
“Most of the goods that are stranded along the border line cannot go back and they can’t come front as there is nothing the owners can do about it. The goods are stranded there and they will stay there until the day the reopen the border just like what happened in Nigeria when Buhari selfishly closed all the nation’s land borders where all the stranded were destroyed and expired.
“Now that the border is closed, you can’t go to Niger and you can’t come back to Nigeria. And you can’t go to Cotonou because they also closed their own border with Niger too. It is a game of may God help us!” he said.
Meanwhile, former Chairman of ANLCA, Idiroko Chapter, Elder Abel Ayokunle said Idiroko border is not sharing the same border with Niger but Benin Republic, saying that the crisis can only affect the Northern borders that much.
However, he said business are not moving as stakeholders expected at Idiroko border before, saying only things that are going to West Africa are the one thing happening at Idiroko border.
“There is no more serious business for now. What we are expecting before was that the car import should be allowed so that those that live around the border can easily go there to buy fairly used (Tokunbo), which has been what we have been waiting for a very long time.
“Currently, there is a pronouncement that nobody should accept anything from Niger now as part of the sanctions they come back into reality of democracy. likewise ECOWAS, all those ones that sharing border with Niger will be taking one measure or the other. So any goods that have been in transit to Niger will be put on hold now expect they retransit into Idiroko or Seme and for those ones that have been documented for Niger might probably hard for them to change their route. So they will be waiting may be pending till when the crisis will be over.
“The one we are facing presently, if your goods are going to Benin, nothing holding you. But if they are having contract transit to Niger they may not be able to leave Nigeria. At times, they used Idiroko to enter and they now go to Benin to the Northern side and enter Niger.
“Trade activities at the Idiroko border is presently at peripheral. We wake up, we go to the border. If there is anything we do it and if there is nothing, we go back home likewise the Customs. We are both managing the situation.
But we hope as soon as import can be allow to Cotonou Port, then transit will be here and the place will be moving. Currently now, anything that is not going to Cotonou,
Lome or Ghana is not enjoying this route,” he said.
