Structures at Nigerian ports suffer disrepair despite making billions

The facilities and working conditions at two of the country’s most important land borders located at Seme and Idiroko have remained in a poor state despite the billions of naira revenue the borders contribute to the federal treasury, Daily Trust reports. Seme border is a settlement on the border with Benin Republic, 30 minutes’ drive […]

The facilities and working conditions at two of the country’s most important land borders located at Seme and Idiroko have remained in a poor state despite the billions of naira revenue the borders contribute to the federal treasury, Daily Trust reports.

Seme border is a settlement on the border with Benin Republic, 30 minutes’ drive from Badagry in Lagos while Idiroko, a town in Ogun State also situated along the Nigeria-Benin border,  has been an official border crossing point for decades.

Seme Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) generated N5.4 billion between January and October 2017 while N1.413 billion was collected between January and April 2018 by the NCS Ogun State command but officers of the various paramilitary agencies at the borders describe structures from which they work as not even “befitting poultry keeping”.

Our reporter who visited both borders and spoke with customs, immigration and other security personnel stationed there, learnt that structural defects in the offices and general poor working conditions at the ports have continued to impact negatively on operations.

There was sign of close circuit cameras at both borders, meaning that there are likely no digital recording or review that happens there other than the movement of information that is collected by officers or people who choose to submit themselves to be checked.

At the Idiroko border, officers of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), the Nigeria Custom Service (NCS), and the health workers were seen sitting on rickety benches and blocks to discharge their duties.

An immigration officer who spoke in confidence said, “Look at this place; as a visitor to this country, what impression do you get? You cannot store vital documents here because the roofs are leaking. The walls are rotten and smelling.”

Our reporter entered the office of the NIS for movement capture and discovered that the computers were accommodated in a room not properly ventilated.

“We have received both presidential and ministerial committees at this place but up till now nothing has come out of those visits,” one immigration officer said. The officer showed our reporter an abandoned office complex, which had been roofed and fitted with windows. The complex was to serve as new office for the workers but work on the complex has stalled. 

He said: “The work started in the last administration and when this administration came in, the contractors came around and hurriedly did some work but abandoned it again. It has remained in that state till date.”

A customs officer who also wanted his identity protected said, “We make so much money from this border for the country and we don’t understand why anybody should work in a place this deplorable.”

At the Seme border, our reporter found out that the structures from where officers worked were not any better.

The scene at the border looked like a typical community market. Border agencies were seen in makeshift tents from where they operated.

Some officers said lack of conducive office structures has continued to impact greatly on the NCS Ogun State Area Command’s anti-smuggling offensive.

Due to the location of Seme border, illegal smuggling of mostly petrol, drugs, cars and cross-border trade exists within the settlement.