Following border reopening, the Federal Government has warned against illegal imports.
The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, gave this warning in Ilesa, Osun State, while speaking with newsmen.
He stated that the country’s borders are now more secured with the deployment of data capturing system at all land entry points.
He, however, added that reopening of land borders does not permit movement of contraband into the country, saying all commodities that are not produced in the ECOWAS sub-regional countries remain outlawed.
He said government cannot stop the movement of people, especially citizens of the sub-regional states, but will ensure proper and efficient documentation of inflows in the country.
He explained that the deployment of Migration Data Analysis System (MIDAS) at the nation’s land borders, migrants’ data, including Nigerians, would be effectively documented through biometric data capturing.
“Nigeria is a member of ECOWAS and the essence of the sub-regional organisation and its key factor is the free movement of people.
“The passport we are carrying is ECOWAS passport now not even Nigeria passport. What that means is that as a Nigerian, we are ECOWAS citizens and as such there would be natural movement of people across the states but they must be documented.”
