Kano traders decry attempt to cripple activities at MAKIA

Speaking to newsmen in Kano, the president of the association, Alhaji Bature Abdul’aziz, said instead of complementing efforts by the Comptroller General to revive the airport, the customs officers were thwarting the effort. He said the traders association was doing its best to see that businesses are restored in the airport as obtains in Lagos […]

Speaking to newsmen in Kano, the president of the association, Alhaji Bature Abdul’aziz, said instead of complementing efforts by the Comptroller General to revive the airport, the customs officers were thwarting the effort.

He said the traders association was doing its best to see that businesses are restored in the airport as obtains in Lagos and other places.

He said because of the activities of the customs, traders from Kano and environs coming into the country from abroad come through Lagos airport instead of MAKIA, “We are forced to go through Lagos because the customs in Kano are making it difficult even when we bring in dutiable goods.”

Abdul’aziz recalled that recently, three cargo planes had landed in Nigeria, carrying some dutiable goods, two landed in Lagos and the other one in Kano, alleging that the goods in Kano were not released until the highest authorities intervened, saying however, those in Lagos were immediately handed to the owners after paying duties.

He said, “I am worried because we the traders are happy that the comptroller general of customs is doing well to assist us revive activities in MAKIA but the customs here are not ready to comply. We are doing our best to cooperate and support customs to fish out smuggled goods but the fact that they are giving us headache in clearing dutiable goods, we feel discouraged.”

He, however, commended the Nigeria customs for shifting their base to airports, posts and borders in line with what obtained in other countries, saying the previous act of harassing traders in the markets was wrong.   

He said the recent effort to identify over 80 smuggling spots in the Nigerian border by customs was a great achievement towards fighting the menace of smuggling, assuring that their union would support customs to fish out bad eggs among traders and business tycoons who are not ready to follow right channels in bringing in their goods.