All illegal checkpoints in Nigeria being manned by custom officials to extort money from the general public have been banned.
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The Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (retd), has directed the immediate dismantling of all illegal check points in the country.
Ali announced this in a statement by the Service Public Relations Officer, Mr Joseph Attah, on Wednesday in Abuja.
Attah said that the CGC directives were in line with the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council drive to ease ways of doing business in Nigeria.
“The CGC reminded all commands that any check point mounted outside 40 kilometers to the land border is illegal while information patrols beyond the 40km limit should not last more than 24 hours at any given time.
“The 40km radius applies to land borders while no check point should be erected within the port areas,” Attah said.
He said that Ali had directed all Zonal Coordinators, Customs Area Controllers and Operatives of Customs Intelligence Unit to ensure strict compliance.
According to him, the CGC enjoins members of the business community to always comply with extant laws to help the service perform better.