Customs Shuts Down Seme Border Atlas Park Today

By ZION Olalekan

The Customs Area Controller in charge of Seme Border Command, Comptroller Uba Garba had said the customs would finally close down the popular Atlas Park at the border today 1st of February 2019.

Speaking while addressing members of Association of Registered Freight Forwarders of Nigeria (AREFFN) Compt Uba advised all importers to remove their cargoes from the park as it would be blocked finally.

The customs had earlier issued the Beninois a deadline of December 31st, 2018 to wind up their operations at the park or face unpleasant consequences which they may not like. He however extended the date to January after many appeals from the stakeholders.

Compt. Uba may have been encouraged to contemplate closing down the park because of the criminal activities that have been going on there for years. He had earlier announced some stringent measures to checkmate the activities at the park or close it down completely to forestall criminality in the area.

Uba at a recent meeting with AREFFN members disclosed that the Atlas Park operation at Benin Republic was against the international law of transit.

The Seme Customs boss assured the AREFFN, that he would go ahead with his plan to shut down the park,” even if he has only one day remaining to serve at the command before he leaves to stop the rot”.

He recalled that on assumption of duties in the Command last August, he had received complaints from Customs personnel at the Border that their Beninois counterparts are not respecting the law.

According to him,” it is the Beninois that are engaged in the economic activities at the park but have refused to respect the pact existing between the two countries that share the Border Community”.

He was said to have told Emmanuel Kayode Oguntuase, the Nigeria Ambassador to Republic of Benin and Hammed Ali, a retired Colonel and Comptroller General, Nigerian Customs Service, NCS, who was said to have given him his support.

The Customs Comptroller was said to have invited Charles Inousa Sacca Boco, the Director General, of Republic of Benin Customs Administration for meeting with him over the project.

The duo and the foreign partners were said to have inspected the final closure of all illegal outlets other than the single entry and exit of truck laden cargoes approved by the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS.

The Seme Customs boss was said to have insisted on the enforcement of the international law on transit cargoes.” I told him there is no going back on the project” and he never protested or complained”.

He disclosed that Nigerians using the park for their transit cargoes could not meet the deadline as given but their appeal for extension has been turned down.

Given an insight to the part at the Joint Border Community, he said, ”The essence of the joint Border post is for integration, cooperation and to integrate the local economy”.

He gave an insight of his sensitization visit to Owode, ”I have spoken with the Chairman of the local government to check the site”, noting that the Command had had several meetings with the market women, security agencies to sensitise them about the closure of the illegal outlets. ”I have given them advice on the way things should be done at the joint Border post”, he said

He was said to have assured that, “free movement of persons, goods and services must be enforced in the joint Border”.

According to him, It is an European concept but managed by the ECOWAS.

Giving a further insight on the operation of the joint Border, he confirmed that it belongs to neither Nigeria nor Republic of Benin but a no man’s land taken over by ECOWAS.

This may have informed the reason why he was elected the Chairman of the joint Border security Committee and his Beninois counterpart the Vice Chairman to oversee the Border and ensure that the laws are enforced”.

The Customs Comptroller who enumerated the advantages of closing the Atlas Park to Nigerian agents said it will end the existing illegalities and create the needed space for their loads.