Be Civil with Our Traders – Gov Abiodun Tells Customs
Amidst growing compliants of invasion of shops and warehouses by men of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, across markets in ogun state, the state governor Prince Dapo Abiodun has called for civility in the operation.
The Governor made the call while receiving the Comptroller General of Customs, Mr. Adewale Adeniyi, in his office.
Traders in the state had accused Customs officers of breaking into their shops and warehouses in a bid to search for smuggled goods.
Governor Abiodun stressed that while there are bound to be some unscrupulous individuals who could be found wanting over the issue of smuggling, he insisted that the majority of the people in the state are law-abiding.
He explained that for the purpose of peaceful engagement and economic development in the state, there is a need for peaceful interaction between the security agency and the traders.
“There is an issue of paramount importance I want to discuss with the CG; it is about our market women and men. I don’t know how they got to know that you are coming here today, but they have bitterly complained that your men break into their shops and warehouses while looking for smuggled goods. They were even planning to come and protest here.
I want to say that our people in the state are law-abiding. I am not saying that there are not some unscrupulous people who could be committing this crime, but the majority of our people are doing legitimate business.
“I want the Comptroller General to address this issue and talk to his officers in the state to be civil in their operations and engagement with our market women and men,” Abiodun averred.
In his response, the Customs boss frowned at any form of invasion of markets, expressing his disappointment over the issue as he promised to look into the matter for redress.
