The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Seme Command, has vowed to crack down on rampant illegal checkpoints along the Lagos-Abidjan ECOWAS trade corridor, which have been crippling regional commerce and damaging Nigeria’s international image.
Customs Area Controller, Seme Command, Comptroller Wale Adenuga,
at a high level stakeholders meeting at the Command on Monday,
condemned the proliferation of unauthorised roadblocks, describing them as a “national embarrassment” that stifles legitimate trade and undermines Nigeria’s competitiveness.
“We are going to work, and we will make Seme corridor road a place of sanity”, Adenuga declared. He exposed how multiple illegal roadblocks have turned a vital trade artery into a nightmare for cross-border traders, tourists, and transporters. The Customs chief vowed decisive action, pledging to mobilise security agencies and border communities to eliminate the checkpoints and restore credibility to Nigeria’s border operations.
Adenuga issued a stern warning to security agencies operating outside legal checkpoints to “steer clear from the corridor”, emphasising that the Customs management has banned the activities of ‘camp boys’ on the highways. He stressed the importance of transparency and cooperation among all parties, urging honest dialogue to confront the systemic problems affecting the border axis.
“The more we facilitate legitimate trade, the better for our country. When trade thrives, crime reduces. That is the vision our Comptroller General, Adewale Adeniyi, has consistently championed – building a legacy of trade facilitation and a conducive environment for economic growth”, he stated.
The CAC also highlighted disparities between the Nigerian and Beninese border operations, noting that Benin Republic authorities maintain a more coordinated and transparent process for inspecting vehicles suspected of conveying questionable goods.
During the high-level stakeholders’ engagement, Hon. Joseph Agoro, a grassroots politician, decried the menace of unofficial camp boys allegedly hired by security operatives. He accused them of terrorising residents and travellers, calling on Customs to act swiftly to end their activities.
Representing the Nigerian Ambassador to Benin Republic, Ambassador Olukayode Aluko, the Defense Attaché, Colonel S. Yahaya, assured participants that all resolutions from the summit would be implemented without delay.
The meeting brought together a broad spectrum of stakeholders, including freight forwarders, traditional rulers, and representatives of the Nigerian Army, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS). Participants shared operational challenges affecting their agencies within the Badagry–Seme corridor and expressed support for Customs’ reform efforts.
As the Seme Command intensifies its campaign, expectations remain high that the long-troubled Lagos-Abidjan corridor could soon regain its status as a model of efficient trade facilitation and regional cooperation.
