Importers, Clearing Agents lament revenue loss as border closure enters second day

Abiola Seun

Clearing Agents operating at the Seme and Idiroko border stations have started counting their losses as transit cargoes remained trapped due to the joint military operations embarked upon by security agents and intelligent gathering operatives.

Also, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) is expected to lose N55m from Seme and Idiroko borders for the closure of the posts on Wednesday and Thursday.

While Idiroko border command of the service generated N21.6million in a day, the Seme command generates N16.6m in a day and with the two days shut down, the revenue would be lost.

While Seme border is the busiest command followed by Idiroko, stakeholders have condemned the manner in which the Federal government shut the land borders over the security exercise carried out by security agencies.

The stakeholders argued that the closure of borders was not in line with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) protocol agreements.

As at Wednesday, thousand of Nigerians were stranded at the Seme and Idiroko border, but yesterday, movement was allowed partially for those who had valid documents, passport and valid identity card.

But cargoes are not allowed to move while clearing agents are not allowed in and there are no clearing activities at the borders, which relatively affected small traders as well.

A source at Seme border who spoke with our correspondent said: “the present situation is that Nigerians are not allowed in without passport, National I. D. You can’t go out of the border without Nigerian passport and your mission must be very genuine. Right now, the border is partially locked down and the new perspective is that the security exercise may take up 28 days.”

Speaking further, an importer, Simon Yunus said, “when I heard about the closure of the border and I learnt that some people had already spent more even hours at the Seme border without going out and coming and I want to go to Cotonou on business trip and I have to leave Lagos for Cotonou through Lomé. The flight ticket cost me N317, 000.”

He said the government agencies should have allowed those who have genuine business to travel and do their normal business, saying the closure of the border will have some effects on the economy, which may largely affects price of goods at the end of the day.

Also speaking, the National President of the National Council of Managing Director Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA), Lucky Amiwero said the problem is that Government shouldn’t have closed borders that way because Nigeria is not at war, it is a normal security situation.

He added, “We signed an ECOWAS protocol for free movement of people. Has Nigeria complied with the procedures of ECOWAS protocol? You don’t just close border like that because the borders are actually entry point. It is just like you are closing your airport or closing your seaports.

“Nigeria has three entry points, which are airport, seaport and border stations and all these are legal stations in line with the provisions of the law and we have ECOWAS protocol and the protocol is talking about free movement of persons and goods and you have signed this protocol. If you want to do any closure, it must be a country-to-country negotiations and the issue should be done according to information, which is contain in World Trade Organization (WTO) agreements.”

He bemoaned the way government handled the issue and said it was not done according to law.

He stated further that by making people stranded, it is not good for the image of the country because people will start looking at Nigeria as a bad country to invest.

According to him, what the government has done is not in line with the ECOWAS protocol because if they are going to close the borders, they should have given time that they are going to close borders. He said if it is based on security reasons, that reasons must take into cognisance certain things that have to do with protocol.

He stated; “there would be a lot of implications, which mean a lot of people might not be able to move out their cargo and it will affect small trades within the subregion. It will also affect small traders and is going to affect the country too.”

The Chairman, Association of Nigerian Liscenced Customs Agents (ANLCA) Seme border chapter, Lasis Fanu said that the border is still closed not only Seme border but all the borders across the federation, saying the order is from the Presidency.

He said, “Since the border is closed, there is nothing agents are going there to do. Agents are to do documentations at the border for the goods coming in. Since goods are not coming in, there is nothing they are going there to do. We pray that the issue is not up to 28 days we heard earlier because we have perishable items at the border and everything will be perished.”