Reps asks FG to lift ban on sale of fuel in border communities

The House of Representatives has asked the Federal Government to lift the ban on the sale of fuel around communities within 20 kilometres of Nigeria’s borders following the removal of subsidy on petroleum products.

It also urged the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and other relevant government agencies to ensure immediate stoppage of the ban and allow duly registered fuel stations within the affected communities to be supplied with petroleum products.

The call followed the consideration of a motion moved at plenary on Tuesday by Adegboyega Nasir Isiaka.

Presenting the motion, Isiaka said the Customs Service in November 2019 announced the ban on sales and supply of petroleum products in the communities.

Isiaka, while acknowledging that the ban was necessary to stop smuggling of subsidised petroleum products, appealed to government to do the needful now that subsidy had gone, to reduce the hardship it had caused communities.

“The ban has continued to impact negatively on the socio-economic activities in the affected areas,” he said.

Adopting of the motion, the House mandated its Committee on Customs and Excise (when constituted) to ensure implementation.

Meanwhile, the Acting Comptroller-General of Customs, Wale Adeniyi, has said that not all the nation’s land borders had been reopened.

The acting CG also affirmed that there had been seizures of smuggled fuel at the borders, adding that it would take some time before the issue of smuggling of fuel across the border would completely dissipate.

Fielding questions from State House correspondents after meeting President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Adeniyi said the Federal Government had not ordered that all land borders across the country be opened.