Abdulrazaq laments plight of border communities over border closure

The Kwara state Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq has bemoaned the plight of border communities in the state who have to pay for petroleum products following the federal government’s to regulate the sale of petroleum products in border communities to curb smuggling.

Our correspondent reports that scarcity of petroleum products has forced prices up and a litre of petrol now sells for N400 as against the official rate of N145.

Gov, Abdulrazaq has therefore, appealed security agencies manning the borders to help in mitigating the suffering of the people of border communities.

He spoke when he received the coordinator of the joint border drill operation, Mohammad Garba, who led other heads of security agencies to his office in Ilorin on Wednesday.

Gov. Adulrazaq informed the delegation that the state if experiencing the challenge of getting petroleum products to border communities because of the federal government’s directive that filling stations selling petroleum products 20 kilometres to border communities be closed down.

“We’ll want to work with you so we can get petrol to these communities, probably, we can designate few petrol stations to sell the product and so we can mitigate their sufferings and make petrol available to them.

“The issue of border closure is a wake- up call to us as a country. There are enormous challenges ahead of Nigeria due to the trade agreement signed with neighbouring countries with free trade and free movement of people.

“There is also a challenge of smuggling of goods. So, our borders and trade need to be secured and protected against negative effects of the agreement,” he said.

The governor, who promised to be proactive with the visiting security team, commended officers and men of the operation drill for the prevailing relative security in the state, saying the issue of border closure centred on security and the economy.

He also called for adequate welfare and proper equipment to help them do their jobs, saying that the government would do its best to assist and support in any way possible.

Earlier, the Coordinator of the joint border drill, Mohammad Garba, said that plans are underway to ensure relief in the affected areas.

“We are aware of the difficulties being faced by border communities in the state. We have been there to sensitize the people. Plans are underway to ensure people who genuinely use petrol get relief very soon.

“For instance, there’ll be designated filling stations in each of the local government areas affected where the products will be dispensed. We also want to liaise with local government chairmen so that the products are not exported out of Nigeria.

“Recently, in Chikanda border community, about 135 drums of petroleum products were arrested and seized. We are now in touch with the customs high command to auction it to government institutions.

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“About 10 million litres of petroleum products are exported illegally out of Nigeria at night. This success was achieved by the border drill operations. If this smuggling had continued, it can affect the nation’s planning and development efforts because of inaccurate data,” he said.

Also, Garba called for the support and cooperation of the state government to educate the people about the border closure, saying that government encourages legal business such as the export of locally produced items.