Reps asks FG to lift ban on fuel sale at international borders ~ Prestige News

•Not all land borders are opened — Acting Customs CG

•Affirms seizures of smuggled fuel

The House of Representatives yesterday asked the Federal Government to lift the ban on the sale of fuel around communities within 20 kilometres of Nigeria’s borders.

It also urged the Nigerian Customs Service, NCS, and other relevant government agencies to ensure immediate stoppage of the ban and allow duly registered fuel stations within the affected communities to be supplied with petroleum products.

The call followed the consideration of a motion moved at plenary by Adegboyega Nasir Isiaka.
Presenting the motion, Isiaka said the Customs Service in November 2019 announced the ban on sales and supply of petroleum products in the communities.

Isiaka, while acknowledging that the ban was necessary to stop smuggling of subsidised petroleum products, appealed to government to do the needful now that subsidy had gone, to reduce the hardship it had caused communities.

“The ban has continued to impact negatively on the socio-economic activities in the affected areas,” he said.

Adopting of the motion, the House mandated its Committee on Customs and Excise (when constituted) to ensure implementation.

Meanwhile, the Acting Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Customs Service, NCS, Mr Wale Adeniyi, said yesterday not all the nation’s land borders had been reopened.

The acting CG also affirmed that there had been seizures of smuggled fuel at the borders, adding that it would take some time before the issue of smuggling of fuel across the border would completely dissipate.

Fielding questions from State House correspondents after meeting President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Adeniyi said the Federal Government had not ordered that all land borders across the country be opened.

Recall that there have been speculation that the president had approved the reopening of all land borders upon his inauguration in office.

But the acting Comptroller-General told journalists that the borders which were not among the selected strategic ones that were reopened in 2022 remained shut, although a thorough review of the situation was currently ongoing.

He said as part of efforts to enhance border security and regional integration, he planned to visit the Republic of Benin to engage in discussions with their Customs administration.