By Michael Adesanya/ Abeokuta
Ogun West Border Communities Stakeholders have appealed to the Federal Government to relax her decision on continuous closure of Nigeria’s land border which, they said, has criminalised the people across their communities.
They made appeal during a press briefing organised by the Ogun West Consultative Forum (OWECOF) in collaboration with other stakeholders on Thursday in Abeokuta.
The briefing had in attendance all the traditional rulers from the affected communities, Prof. Tope Popoola, Chief Akeem Adigun Socopao and many other sons and daughters from the communities.
Speaking on behalf of the stakeholders, Professor Anthony Asiwaju, who delivered a lead paper presentation titled ‘In the eye of the storm’, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to soften the policy and rescind his decision to restrict sales of petrol and petroleum products to 20 kilometers from the border, which he said has taken a toll on whole communities.
He said: “We have been criminalised by the federal government decision to close the border as a result of attempt to stop smuggling across the border. The ban on sale of petrol and petroleum products is seriously having an adverse effects on the people.
“The local people have been facing the hardship of moving their farm produce to market, being an agrarian people. It is a national disgrace of selling fuel through black market in bottles as replacement for filling stations in Nigeria border communities.
“The only presence of federal, state and local government in border areas is border closure. Border communities are deprived of infrastructure development. They call our children smugglers, yet man is subject to his environment.
“Border closure is unnecessarily enriching security personnel in addition to their fat monthly remuneration, to the detriment of the poor masses in border communities. Every Nigeria community, be it in the metropolis or suburb of the edge, is morally, legally, fairly and equitably without any hitch or disturbance entitled to produce or service in Nigeria.
“Any attempt to restrict such good or service from getting to any Nigeria community is violation of human right of such people or community.
“Security is development and vice versa. If the government do the needful at the border communities, the citizenship would also be patriotic. Develop the lives of people at the border communities and expect the loyalty and support of our people.”