The City Reporters
Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau
In a desperate bid to forestall the persistent Boko Haram attacks in the north-eastern part of the country, Nigeria, Cameroun, Niger, Chad and Republic of Benin are to establish a joint border patrol Benin was yesterday held in Abuja.
This was deliberated upon in a meeting held in Abuja yesterday, which had in attendance the national security adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki, the comptroller-general of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) David Paradang, and a three-man delegation led by the respective director-generals of the Customs administration which represented the other four countries.
Speaking at the meeting which was organized by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) as part of efforts to winning the war against terrorism in Nigeria, the Nigeria’s Customs comptroller-general Abdullahi Dikko said top on the agenda is to seek the mandate of the respective governments to establish joint patrol teams along the common borders to promote security.
Part of the agenda also is the need to share timely intelligence in all matters of cross-border crimes and to implement the Protocol on Transit Trade between the common borders as well as to deepen and facilitate trade between the countries.
“We are thinking beyond the smuggling of arms and ammunition; the issue is being compounded by insurgents attacking Nigerian citizens and running away to these neighbouring countries.
“Today it is Nigeria, tomorrow it may be another country, and if we are harbouring criminals in our various countries attacking our neighbours and running away to get a safe haven in another country, I think we are not being fair with ourselves.
“I think Cameroon had the pinch when President Jonathan closed the border, so I think they are here to make sure they contribute their quota so that peace can reign in Nigeria and neighbouring countries. There are no movements across the border and that is affecting their economy,” Dikko said.
The director-general of Cameroun Customs, Minette Libon Li Likeng, said the meeting was aimed at collaboration between the neighbouring countries having the same border in order to overcome the challenge of terrorism and insecurity which is boosted through the movement of goods.
