Economy News

Low Tempo Commercial Activities around Idi-Iroko Border

By Web News 505

By Oluwatoyin Adegoke 

Business activities are yet to reach the peak around Idi-roko border in Ogun State since the pronouncement of border opening by the Federal government.

Business owners and residents of the border communities have attributed the slow pace of operations to the persisting ban on the trade of some commodities usually in high demand around the borderlines. 

Apart from travellers and investors in international trade operating through the trade facilitation process of the Nigeria Customs Service, artisans and small scale business men and women operating around the border areas said they were not sure that the government had opened the borders. 

The low tempo of commercial activities was evident in Ajegunle, Ipokia, Ijofin, Mahun, Ilara, and other communities where many shops and business outlets hitherto involved in the sales of imported items, popularly called “Tokunbo” were out of operations. 

Those who spoke with Radio Nigeria, including a vulcanizer and tyre merchant, Mr Jimoh Ige maintained that although, the borders were said to be opened, the ban on importation of Tokunbo items, especially rice, had crippled their activities. 

Another resident, Mr. Dare Olaiwin also said the ban on movement of petroleum products within twenty kilometers radius to the borderlines should be reviewed as it had greatly hindered business activities in the area.

Mr Olaiwin expressed optimism that making the fuel available to residents of border areas would enable them to engage in fruitful ventures and contribute to the process of national development. 

Other contributors, who noted the sharp decline in the tempo of cross border trading, urged the government to empower genuine small scale business owners to invest in legitimate trades across the borders. 

In a reaction, the Acting Comptroller General of Customs, Mr Adewale Adeniyi, who paid a working visit to the Idiroko border charged the customs operatives to strengthen measures towards promoting legitimate businesses between Nigeria and the neighbouring countries.

The Controller General of Customs solicited the support of the people and other relevant agencies in the efforts to rid the borders of smuggling, human trafficking and drug trafficking among other vices against national peace economic stability.

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Crime

We intercepted 12 Trailer-load of smuggled rice in the last one month – Ogun NSC

By Web News 853

The Nigeria Customs Service, NSC Ogun One Area Command has renewed its commitment to ending smuggling in the state in spite of the series of attacks on security operatives by smugglers, their sympathizers and other economic saboteurs.

The Area Controller of the command, Mr Peter Kolo stated this in Idi-Iroko while speaking with journalists on the operations and achievements of the command in last one month.

Mr Kolo who explained that 12 trailer-load of 50kg bags of parboiled rice and other contraband goods including frozen poultry products, Cannabis Sativa, used clothing and shoes, and petroleum products worth one hundred and eighty nine million, nine hundred and twenty three thousand, two hundred and ninety three naira were intercepted.

The Nigeria Customs Service, Ogun One Area Command controller also announced that the sum two hundred and twenty-five thousand naira was realized from the auction sales of seized petroleum products and scrap metals in the command.

Mr Kolo noted that the command also intercepted a truck along Ijoun Border axis belonging to a cement company conveying six hundred bags of 50kg foreign parboiled rice to the eastern part of the country.

He explained that three people were arrested including the driver of the vehicle, saying that investigation was ongoing to unravel those behind the act of massive smuggling activity.

Mr Kolo said the command recently repelled a severe attack from the daredevil smugglers, hoodlums and their sympathizers using dangerous weapons at Oja-Odan in Yewa Southern part of Ogun State in which some command officers sustained gunshot injuries.

Olusegun Folarin

Lifestyle

Ogun Calls for More Immigration Passport Offices

By Web News 1006

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has advocated the establishment of more passport offices in the state to ease the processing for residents. 

Prince Dapo Abiodun, who made the call while playing host to the Assistant Comptroller General of Immigration, Mrs Dorris Braimoh called for the establishment of additional offices at Ilaro and Ijebu-Ode areas of the state. 

The Governor applauded the setting up of an immigration office at Idi-Iroko, acknowledging the impacts made by the outgoing immigration Comptroller through her dedication, resourcefulness and diligence to duty.

Earlier, the Assistant Comptroller General of Immigration, Mrs Braimah while appreciating the Ogun State Government for supporting her while she was the Controller of the state command, described the people of the state as friendly.

Mrs Braimah, who explained that she was preparing to retire from after about 35 years in service, urged young officers to remain committed and dedicated to their duties. 

Bolanle Adesida

Crime

We have made seizures worth over 500 Million Naira – NCS Ogun-One Command

By Web News 900

The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, has recorded 439 seizures worth more than 500 million naira in Ogun State amidst the challenges of COVID-19 pandemic during the second quarter of the year 2020. 

The Customs Area Controller, Ogun-One Command, Mr Michael Agbara who made this known at the Idiroko Headquarters of the command also announced that more than 19 million naira was realized from the sales of non-perishable items confiscated during the period. 

Mr Agbara showing rice that smugglers tried to bring in with jerry cans.

The Customs Area Controller said suspected smugglers had devised several means of concealing contraband, especially rice which were hidden in car engines and motorcycle seats or poured into jerry cans and loaded under kegs of palm oil. 

Mr Agbara who noted that the borders were still closed to import and export said the command would not relent in promoting its core duties of revenue generation and suppression of smuggling as well as trade facilitation and protection of the society.

He appealed to residents to discourage the youths from engaging in smuggling activities noting that the continued attack on operatives of Nigeria Customs Service and other sister agencies would leave them with no choice than to defend their lives. 

He listed the seizures to include 11,841 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 130 units of vehicles with a 2018 Model of bulletproof Mercedes Benz and 39 units of motorcycles. 

Other contrabands disclosed by the Customs Area Controller were frozen poultry products, palm oil, vegetable oil and petroleum products, used tyres, second-hand clothing, footwear and cosmetics, fruits, insecticides and Cannabis Sativa, popularly called Marijuana among others.

Oluremi Olugbenro