As the Yuletide season approaches, more smuggled items — mainly foreign parboiled rice, tomato paste, frozen chicken and cars — are still being smuggled into the country in large scale, closure of Nigerian borders notwithstanding. Investigations revealed that tonnes of foreign rice flooded Nigerian markets, after the #EndSARS unrest tended to relax border security.

Although, there was no official directive to relax border operations, the hard knocks on security forces by restive youths during the protests forced officers to exercise restraint, especially as one of their operatives was killed and many injured.

However, Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) said it is strictly manning the nation’s gateways, in line with its mandate to protect the country against importation of illicit items.

With the massive smuggling, price of foreign parboiled rice has dropped sharply from about N35,000 to about N22,000, depending on location. This, according to sources, was not unconnected with the prevailing smuggling activities.

As price of foreign rice drops, that of its local variant remains stagnant at between N21,000 and N25,000. This situation makes it difficult for Nigerian rice to compete favourably in the local market.

Our correspondent visited Idiroko border in Ogun State and found that security officers have completely shut official border posts, while illicit activities were going on unhindered at unapproved routes.

Popularly called bush paths, unapproved routes are busier than official ones, with hundreds of motorbikes moving across the borders of the Republic of Benin and Nigeria engaging in illegal trade.

A security officer at the border, said that security personnel were aware of happenings at the bush paths, which are more than 100 in Ogun State alone; he said officers only routinely patrol the routes because they were too many to cover.

Besides, the officer disclosed that the bush paths became more dangerous for officers because smugglers, who are more familiar with the terrain, could lay ambush to the team.

Interaction with some traders around the border revealed that the notorious smugglers use the night as cover and move in convoys.

“It is entirely an industry: They have groups and godfathers who front for them. They are armed and full of charm. They are notorious and difficult to confront. Some of their godfathers have link with security agencies, so they know when to move and they move massively. They make the price of rice cheaper. We bought from them at N16,000 and resell at N18,000” a source at Owode told said.

Our correspondent observed some petty smugglers at the border communities bargaining and re-bagging foreign rice. Many of those involved were locals, who resell the commodities wholesale. Others deal in palm oil, groundnut oil, frozen chicken, tomato paste, sugar and others.

AS at 9.10am on Tuesday the border post was almost empty, with just few officers on duty. There was no movement of any sort, and the ‘rotten’ gates leading to the Republic of Benin were duly locked. Only one officer of the Immigration Service was on duty. He was sitting far from the gate, wearing mufti, with his camouflage cap.

He roared at our correspondent on attempt to cross the border: “Hey young man; where are you going? Do you know where you are going? Where are you coming from? Who are you? Where do you work? The intimidating questions came in torrents, leaving no room for the reporter to process any of them.

Then, looking a bit calmer after due response from the reporter, who presented himself as an innocent visitor to the border, the officer said: “You are at the border. You cannot go in. The border is closed. If you know what to do, you will pass. You will pay yourself in or you go and pass another (unapproved) route.”When asked, how much it would cost to cross the border, he said, “N1,000.”

Then, the reporter said, “ Thank you,” and turned back. The officer then called out, this time with a more gentle voice. How much can you pay,? He entreated. “Don’t worry, and thank you,” the reporter said and immediately left the area.

At the bush paths, several vehicles were seen crossing over; while motorbikes dominated the route, conveying passengers and goods, such as rice, chicken, sugar, palm oil and tomato paste, among others.

Fierce-looking touts manned their own illegal borders, tightly charging N100 per person and N200 for motorbikes before permitting them to cross over.

At Sango market, bags of rice were seen coming in batches, as some uniform officers aided smugglers to convey the items. A particular officer (name withheld) said he was engaging in the business as “means of survival.”

At the Owode Market, along the Idiroko Border Road, foreign rice sold for N18,000. At Sango market, the rice that was earlier sold for N27,000 was going for N22,000. At the Daleko Market, foreign rice sold for N25,000 against N35,000 it sold few months ago.

At the Seme Border, the officers were on top of their game at major border posts, but smugglers took charge of illegal routes. Just like the case in Idiroko, motorbikes are major tools for smugglers, while other means of conveyance were cars and lorries.

Public Relations Officer, NCS, Joseph Attah, told our correspondent that the porousity of the borders posed serious challenges for officers, as smugglers monitor their movements and strategically evade arrest. He urged members of the public to share information with Customs when they notice smugglers around their areas.

Attah said: “The joint border drill is currently ongoing; so, operatives move around to intercept smugglers. But you can see that the borders are porous with many bush paths; that is where we need the media to help us sensitise the public.

“There are some people there who are monitoring the officials; immediately the patrol team moves to the other side, they will call the smugglers to come and pass through the bush paths. This is sabotage on Nigerian economy.

“Officers will continue to do their patrol, they will continue to exploit intelligence to unravel illegitimate routes and trap the smugglers.”

On weather there is hope of reopening the borders soon, in response to the economic recession, Attah said: “Government is reviewing the outcome of the diplomatic engagement and once government is sure that all the concerns that necessitated the border drill have been addressed, it will take appropriate measures.”

On combating smuggling during the Yuletide period, he explained, “the NCS studies every season and understands the challenges of every season and, therefore, comes out with necessary actions.”

Meanwhile, memories of their ordeal during the }EndSARS protest still linger in the minds of security agents. Customs Area Controller, Ogun I Command, Michael Agbara, stated that the hoodlums who hijacked the #EndSARS protest attacked Customs formations along the Idiroko, Obele and Imeko borders and forced the borders open to engage in massive smuggling for three days.

The Guardian