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From Agaju Madugba, Katsina
Katsina State Governor Malam Dikko Umaru Radda, has warned officials of the Nigeria Customs Service tho desist henceforth from what her described as harassment and intimidation of residents of the area.
According to the Governor, residents at the border areas especially, suffer the most agonizing humiliation in the hands of the NCS, in the guise of waging war against importation of contraband goods.
Radda spoke on Monday when he received members of the Senate adhoc Committee investigating reported incessant killings of people smuggling rice and other prohibited goods into the country by officers of the NCS.
The committee was led by its Chairman, Senator Francis Fadahunsi, accompanied by other members including Senators Abdulaziz Musa Yar’Adua, Adeola Olamilekan, Shuaib Salisu, Kawu Sumaila, Tony Nwoye and Suleiman Sadiq, along with some officials of the NCS.
Radda however urged the NCS to renew its fight against smuggling of arms and illicit drugs, which the Governor noted contribute immensely to banditry across some states in the North-West North Central geo-political zones.
Radda said, “while it is essential for the Nigeria Customs Service to stop the smuggling of contraband food items, it is more important for the agency to curb the smuggling of arms and illicit drugs into the country.
“lt should be more of a priority for the Customs to curb the movement of arms and illicit drugs through our borders because these contraband items end up in the hands of bandits.
“Curbing the smuggling of arms will also complement ongoing efforts by security agencies in the fight against bandits and other armed groups operating in different parts of the country.
“I have interacted at length with the members of the committee, we support their work and we hereby call on our people that reside along the borders to cooperate with them.
“I am amazed over the increasing harassment suffered by members of Jibia border communities in the hands of Customs officials.
“This has compounded the movement of consumable goods from and into the area.
“The law had spelt out clearly, prohibited goods that should not be allowed into the country.
“My administration will henceforth not condone the continued harassment of Katsina citizens carrying out their legitimate businesses, by Customs’ anti-smuggling personnel,” Dikko said.
Earlier, the Committee Chairman explained that they were in Katsina on a fact-finding mission over the alleged harassment of members of Jibia communities by personnel of the Nigeria Customs.
This, he said, followed a motion raised by the Senator representing Katsina Central, Senator Abdulaziz Yar’adua, seeking the intervention of the National Assembly.
