Citizen is a column that explains how the government’s policies fucks citizens and how we can unfuck ourselves.
On August 20th, 2019, the Federal Government of Nigeria introduced “Operation Ex-Swift Response”. The goal of the operation was to reduce insecurity through a complete closure of Nigeria’s land borders.
In the operation, the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) the Nigerian Police Force (NPF), and the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), came together to tackle terrorism, armed banditry, smuggling, the proliferation of small arms and light weapons and other things.
Over a year later, the Federal Government of Nigeria has now called off the operation and has consequently reopened four of Nigeria’s land borders – Seme, Illela, Maigatari and Mfun.
Read: Border Crossings In Africa Ranked From Most To Least Stressful
According to the Nigerian Customs Service, these are the illegal items that were seized during the course of the operation:
1) 134,042 bags of parboiled foreign rice
2) 9,600 bags of NPK fertilizer
3) 1,791 vehicles
4) 3,565,461.9 litres of petrol
5) 5,007 drums filled with petrol
6) 68,436.3 jerrycans of petrol
7) 130 engine boats
8) 847 motorcycles
9) 17,212.6 jerrycans of vegetable oil
10) 813 packs of Tramadol
11) 274 bags of cannabis
The Nigerian Customs Service also put the value of these items seized at ₦11,030,062,952.50 naira.
Read: “Border Closure Is Only Enriching People: A Week In The Life Of A Smuggler”
We hope you’ve learned a thing or two about how to unfuck yourself when the Nigerian government moves mad. Check back every weekday for more Zikoko Citizen explainers.
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