Customs: how neighbours take advantage of ‘big brother’

 John Ofikhenua, Abuja

AMIDST clamour for the reopening of the land borders shutdown since August this year, the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) has narrated how neighbouring Republic of Benin exploited Nigeria with the “big brother” concession.

The Service said the closure will prepare the ground for the commencement of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) in July next year.

Speaking on Radio Nigeria, the Public Relations Officer, NCS, Mr. Joseph Attah, noted that the African Continental Free Trade, “what is going on is what will prepare a fertile ground for that one to take off.”

According to him, Nigeria is not subservient to any other country and as a sovereign nation, she has the right to take legitimate actions to protect her national interest.

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He maintained that “Nigeria has to first of all be a country before being a member of any organisation.”

The spokesman noted that signing the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement does not  mean that Nigeria has signed off her right to protect the nationhood.

He recalled that the breach of the ECOWAS protocol on transit by the Republic of Benin has been complicating the security of Nigeria, hence the insistence on the border closure.