The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, has asked the Federal Government to reopen all Nigeria’s land borders to ease the movement of persons and goods in line with the ECOWAS trade liberalisation scheme.
Ladoja made the appeal when Gambo Aliyu, outgoing controller of Customs, Oyo/Osun area command, paid him a farewell visit at his Bodija residence in Ibadan.
He recalled that the Federal Government under Muhammadu Buhari shut the land borders in 2019 and later reopened major ones, including Seme and Idiroko, in Lagos and Ogun states.
The monarch said: “Following the removal of fuel subsidy by the federal government on May 29, 2023, there was no longer a reason for the continued closure of the remaining land borders.”
He commended the Nigeria Customs Service for its anti-smuggling efforts.
He urged the service to rise to the challenge of stopping the entry of illegal arms and ammunition into the country.
Ladoja said Nigeria’s borders, seaports and airports must be properly policed to curb the influx of illegal arms, drugs, substandard products and other prohibited items.
He praised Aliyu, the 37th customs area controller of the Oyo/Osun command, for his diligence and dedication to duty and wished him well.
Earlier, Aliyu thanked the royal father and traditional institution in the state for their support and asked that the same cooperation be extended to his successor.