The Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Customs Service, Hameed Ali, has ordered the immediate removal of all illegal check-points across the country.
This was disclosed in a July 25, 2017 circular with reference number NCS/ENF/ABJ/032/S.35 signed by Deputy Comptroller-General AA Dangaladima, sighted by Qed.ng on Tuesday.
The Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) had in a July 18, 2017 letter addressed to Ali requested, among other things, that the check-points be removed latest by August 11, 2017.
That, according to the PEBEC, was in line with the present administration’s determination to make doing business easier for the private sector, considered as the engine of growth.
Subsequently, any check-point beyond 40 kilometres from the border would be deemed illegal.
“The 40 km radius applies only to the borders. Consequently, there should be no check-points with the ports,” Tuesday’s circular instructed.
It also clarified that information patrols beyond that point should not last more than 24 hours at any given time.
According to the circular, only two check points at Agbara and Gbaji along the Lagos-Badagry-Seme Road are approved.
It warned that Zonal Coordinators, Comptrollers FOUs, CACs CIU and other units would be held responsible for flouting the directive.
