Tough ride for smugglers along Illela border but family ties hamper complete success
It would appear that the planned ban on the importation of foreign rice could hardly be achieved because of too many illegal routes through which the commodity could be smuggled into the country.
Our correspondent, who was at the Illela border, learnt that there are over 100 such routes along that area.
Illela border links Nigeria with the Niger Republic and its road can lead to as far as Libya.
“Most of the illegal goods that come into the country through that axis follow such routes,” a member of the community who asked not to be named said.
Illela used to be a busy border post until the recent federal government policy that stopped importation of vehicles, rice among others through the land border.
Daily Trust learnt that even with these policies, over 300 vehicles, including trucks, pass through the border with legitimate goods on daily bases, making it one of the most revenue generating post for the Sokoto Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service.
According to another member of the community, the security agencies manning the border, especially Customs, hardly compromise, a reason why smugglers prefer illegal routes or the Maradi axis.
Another issue he raised was the involvement of some border community members in the illicit business.
“The inter-marriage is also a factor because you don’t expect me to report any smuggling activity involving my In-law who is from Niger Republic or my wife, mother or father’s relatives who are into the business,” he stated.
“And remember, most of the people in the neighbouring countries rely on Nigeria for their daily bread. They come here to buy things, especially grains and petrol and they too bring in some items they produce locally. So banning importation of some items, rice will definitely affect our businesses here,” he added.
Our reporter observed vehicles filled with empty jerry cans coming into Nigeria to buy fuel at Illela town and Dangote-branded trucks taking cements to them and other countries linked to Niger.
However, some smugglers took advantage of these trucks to smuggle their goods as it would be recalled the Sokoto Area command had recently intercepted Dangote trucks and two petrol tankers which allegedly smuggled in rice.
A custom officer told our reporter that the officer in charge of the border post convenes regular meetings involving leaders of the communities and other relevant security agencies as part of his awareness campaigns.
The spokesman of the Area Command Mailafiya Magaji said the command was not leaving any stone unturned in curbing activities of smugglers in the area.
“No matter what tricks they use to bring in their goods, we will get them because there is only one road from Illela that is leading to other parts of the country which is SokotoGusau Road and we have our check points on it,” he said.
“So if you escape by following unapproved routes you will be caught up in one of these check points,” he added.