House of Representatives on Tuesday urged the Federal Government to lift the ban on the sale of petrol within 20 kilometres of land borders following subsidy removal.
It also urged the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) and other relevant government agencies to ensure immediate stoppage of the ban to allow duly registered stations to be supplied with petroleum products.
The House mandated the Committee on Customs and Excise (when constituted) to ensure implementation.
The resolutions followed the adoption of a motion by Adegboyega Nasir Isiaka.
The House recalled that in November 2019, the Customs announced the ban on the sale and supply of petroleum products in all communities within 20 kilometres of the Nigerian land borders which measure approximately 4,047 kilometres.
The House said it was aware that the ban was apt at the time to prevent the smuggling of subsidised petroleum products to Nigerian neighbouring countries.
It was worried that despite the removal of subsidy, the ban is yet to be lifted, thus causing hardships to millions of Nigerians living and conducting businesses within the affected area (located in 15 states of the federation) who have to travel kilometres to get the products or pay an extra amount to secure the products for their daily needs.
The House said the ban has continued to impact negatively on the socio-economic activities in the affected areas.
Border reopening plan in progress, says Customs CG
Also yesterday, Acting NCS Comptroller-General, Mr Wale Adeniyi, debunked reports that the Federal Government had ordered all land borders across the country opened.
He told reporters after a meeting with the President at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, that the borders which were not among the selected strategic ones reopened in 2022 still remain shut, although a thorough review of the situation is currently ongoing.
He said as part of efforts to enhance border security and regional integration, he plans to visit the Republic of Benin to engage in discussions with their Customs Administration.
According to him, the aim is to foster collaboration, address border security concerns, facilitate importation across the border, and explore technological solutions to complex border challenges.
“Well, it is not true that all Nigerian borders have been opened. The status quo ante still exists in the borders.
“If you remember that the borders were completely shut down in 2018 up until 2022 when some selected strategic borders were reopened, that is the situation as we speak.
“This was why we had an ad hoc arrangement of a special unit coordinated by the Office of the NSA to enforce that border closure.
“But as we speak, about five of them have been reopened. Four were initially reopened and two more were open after that. And that is still the situation.
“There are ongoing processes to review this situation against the objective of the border closure itself.
“The processes are not yet completed. And of course, when the borders are reopened, it’s not going to be subject of rumour in any way.”
