The Olora of Ilara land, His Royal Majesty Oba Samuel Alabi Adefuyi (JP) has appealed to the federal government to consider reopening the closed Ilara border in Ogun State over the economic hardship melted to people in the area.
The monarch in a statement he personally signed and obtained by Newsclickng.com said the closure of the border has shut residents of the area from accessing their basic needs.
Read full statement below:
This is a cry out to the Federal Government, Ogun State Government, Media Organisations, Civil Societies, Human Right Groups and all well-meaning individuals on the current situation of Ilara Township being a major border town at Imeko-Afon Local Government.
It is unfortunate that we have to inform the rest of the nation that Ilara has been cut off from having access to basic needs of daily living since the policy of the Federal Government to close borders especially the borders leading to the Republic of Benin.
Since the execution of the said border closure, officers and men of Nigerian Customs mount blockage between Ilara and Imeko towns, blocking out Ilara people from transporting goods from their respective farms and markets to other parts of Ogun State. The farm produce being disallowed includes: fresh tomatoes, maize, fruits, cassava, melon, yam, vegetable and related farm produce, thereby crippling all economic activities of the town. Meanwhile cows are allowed from other neighbouring Western African countries through the same Ilara-border they said to have been closed.
Apart from this, officers and men of Nigeria Customs also blocked the passage of petroleum products such as PMS, DPK, AGO (diesel) and engine oil to Ilara and its environs. As of today, a litre of PMS sold for N300.00 in black markets. This has caused untold hardship on our people as well as our young and able bodied men and women have been disallowed from their usual legal trading.
It is indeed an unprecedented economic agony, market are drying out, farm produce are rotten out since they cannot be transported to other markets in the state and business activities are being paralyzed due to lack of petroleum supplies.
We beg to know whether Ilara township and its environs is being cut off from the rest of Nigeria by the Federal Government or that it was cheer overzealousness of the men and officers of the Nigerian Customs or perhaps the officers failed to recognize where Nigerian borders really are.
While we strongly stand with the Federal government policy and the Security Agencies in ending inter-border crimes and smuggling activities, we believe such should be done to better the economic situation of Nigeria and not to destroy the peace and prosperity of her people.
In anticipation, the Ilara people appreciates the urgent attention and resolutions accorded this matter, for the safety of our vulnerable women and children and for the sanity of our able young men and elders.
Signed
His Royal Majesty,
Oba Samuel Alabi Adefuyi (JP),
Oloola of Ilara Land,
