The Nigeria Customs Service Comptroller in charge of the Katsina Area Command, Muhammed Umar, over the weekend, met stakeholders in the 12 border communities of Katsina State and urged them to discourage transborder crimes and promote national security.

The command’s Public Relations Officer, Tahir Balarabe, in a statement on Sunday, said the Area Comptroller visited the Jibia-Magama and Jibia-Maje border stations in the Jibia Local Government Area; Dankama border in the Kaita LGA; and Birnin Kuka border station in the Mashi LGA.

During the visit, he interacted with the chairmen of the local government areas, leaders of various business associations, and traditional leaders.

He told them they have a significant role to play in the fight against transborder crimes.

He expressed the Customs resolve to tame  transborder crimes like arms smuggling, human and drugs trafficking “to strengthen national security for improved trade facilitation and economic development.”

“We are working with sister security agencies to ensure that banditry, kidnapping, trans-border crimes, trading in small arms and light weapons are reduced to the barest minimum in border communities in the state,” he said.

Addressing business leaders in Magama, Umar said he was not deployed to Katsina State to jeopardise or block the state’s economic activities but to revamp it and promote trade without compromising national security.

Responding on behalf of the business community, the Chairman of Jibia Local Government Area, Alhaji Bashir Maitan, urged the traders and other residents of the area to unite and work with the Customs personnel for effective border management.

Culled from Punch