BORDER CLOSURE: Kwara Speaker Expresses Worries Over Fuel Scarcity In Four Conmunities

Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Honourable Salihu Yakubu Danladi has expressed worries over fuel scarcity been faced by four districts in Baruten Local Government Areas of the state.

This was contained in a statement made available to newsmen on Monday by the Public Relations Officer, Kwara Command, Nigeria Customs Service, Zakari Chado.

According to the statement ,Honourable Danladi stated this in Ilorin during a courtesy visit to the newly posted Border Drill Sector Coordinator Sector Three ,Ilorin Kwara State.

The Nigeria Customs Service on the 20th of August, 2019  partially closed its borders for betterment of the nation’s economy and for the neighboring countries to abide by ECOWAS Protocols. 

Comptroller Mohammed Uba Garba was recently posted to Joint Border Operations Drill, North Central Zone, Sector, 3 Ilorin, Kwara State.

 He took over from ACG Aminu Dahiru and He has since assumed duty.

While paying a courtesy visit to the Coordinators’ office, the Kwara State Speaker in company of Chairman House Committee on Education and Human Capital Development, Hon. Mohammed Baba Salihu expressed concern over the hardship of  the communities which include Ilesha Baruba  Okuta ,Chikanda.

He said the decision was taking  toll on his people and the hardship has gradually becoming unbearable.

He appealed to the Sector Coordinator to reconsider the decision of fuel supply 20km to border communities, as a liter of petrol is being sold between 250-300 Naira. 

The Speaker said the decision is taking too toll on his people and the hardship is gradually becoming unbearable.

Compt. Mohammed Uba Garba expressed satisfaction for the speaker to take the bull by the horn by coming forward to chart a way forward for his people which mean he is a great leader who is concerned about his people. 

He declared that partial border closure was not to witch-hunt or obstructs any legal businesses nor any community but to prevent illegal exportation of Petroleum Products, encourage local farmers, control the inflow of arms and ammunition, illicit drugs and all other prohibited goods to the country and to also enable the neighboring countries to obey the ECOWAS protocol. 

The Comptroller who was posted from Seme Area Command to Sector Three 3 said that Nigeria Customs service is just an implementer of Federal Government policies and advised that the State Government should channel their grievances through the appropriate quarters.

The Comptroller Mohammed Uba Garba Concluded that he will soon be visiting the Border Communities, during the visit, he will use the opportunity to meet with those who are into legitimate businesses.

The Coordinator said he cannot rest on its oars particularly at this critical time of our National life as the myriad of irregular migration and trans-border crimes such as smuggling of small arms and light weapons, Petroleum Product, human trafficking, drugs trafficking and terrorism among others must be tackled headlong.

He said ” that was what informed the Federal Government to close it borders, as most of those who engage in smuggling never see it as a crime.