The Comptroller-General (CG), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Retired Col. Hameed Ali, has ordered the immediate removal of all illegal checkpoints along Katsina-Jibia road.
Ali gave the order when he paid a condolence visit to the Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Abdulmuminu Kabir, on Monday in Katsina.
The CG, represented by ACG, Mr Uba Mohammed, Zonal Coordinator, Zone B, Kaduna, said the Service had approved only five checkpoint along the Katsina-Jibia road.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the ACG had in a similar visit to Gov. Aminu Masari of Katsina, disclosed that there were about 28 checkpoints along the road.
The ACG said: “On behalf of the CG, I have ordered for the immediate removal of all checkpoints along the road, except the approved five.
“Henceforth, only five checkpoints should remain along Katsina-Jibia road. The police operatives along the same route should also look into the issue.
“Our visit to the state is to condole the state government, the Katsina Emirate Council and the people of Jibia Local Government Council over the recent accident involving our border drill operatives.
“This visit is occasioned by the ugly incident of Aug. 9, 2021 where a near crisis was averted, resulting from an unforeseen vehicular accident, an incident which claimed lives and incapacitated a host of others.
“Unfortunately; that mishap, though an operational hazard, should have been averted with the deployment of the requisite safeguards.”
He said the CG had set up a committee to investigate the cause of the incident, adding that the Service would also take responsibility for the medical bills of those wounded in the accident.
While condoling the emir, Ali reiterated the Service readiness to adopt proactive measures to forestall future occurrence of the incident.
In his response, the emir said the incident, which claimed many lives was unforgettable as it had been happening for a very long time.
“I always have sleepless nights over this issue and that of banditry in our communities.
“I believe that lack of proper information dissemination between the public and the security operatives is one of the reasons for this,” he said.
NAN reports that the delegation has visited some of the accident victims who were receiving treatment at the hospital.
