The authority in charge of Seme Command of the Nigeria Customs Service at the weekend ordered that all movement of persons and cargo be done through the recently commissioned Seme-Krake border post.
This is to forestall human trafficking and smuggling through unapproved routes in the area.
It also said it has concluded plans to seal all areas considered as illegal routes within the border between Nigeria and Republic of Benin.
The Customs Area Controller (CAC) of Seme Command, Comptroller Mohammed Uba Garba, made this disclosure saying that he has directed that all movements within the border region be channeled to the joint border post.
This, the CAC said, has become necessary to curb the activities of economic saboteurs who often took advantage of a busy border arena to bring in prohibited items to the country.
He said the directive was the outcome of the first joint management meeting since the inauguration of the Joint Border Post (JBP), where Comptroller Uba was co-chairman.
Uba stated categorically that illegal routes must be fully sealed by January 14, 2019, in order to curtail illicit trade at Seme, which is the busiest border within the sub-region.
According to Comptroller Uba, sealing illegal routes at a busy border like Seme is a step in the right direction to protect the economy from the influx of contraband.
