The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, Seme Border Command has raised alarm over the incessant harassment of Nigerian female travellers at the border.
The Command reported that there are increase rate of cases of molestation and harassment of female travellers plying the Lagos-Abidjan trade corridor through the Seme border post.
According to reports, it was alleged that female travellers and traders on the route were being sexually molested. The reports maintained that the females are been dragged into the bush by some security personnel and raped.
But speaking to newsmen in Lagos, the Area Controller of Seme Customs Command, Mr. Timi Bomodi, said the Command had launched investigation into the matter. He informed that the Command has also set up a complaint desk at the command. He, therefore, urged victims of such harassment and molestation to report at the desk.
According to Bomodi, the attention of the Customs was brought to the anomaly by the visiting team of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS.
The Controller, however, pointed that the Customs on its own has not received any report on the molestation of travellers. He added that the service abhors such practices.
“We have not had any report officially by any stakeholders. And no woman has reported to us about being molested. We took the report of the Committee on this matter, and we are not making any light of it.
“If that kind of thing exists, then we want to assure the users of the route or corridor that where such incident occurs, we are more than willing to face it head-on. We will want to know where they occurred and when they occurred. And the persons that perpetuated it. Because it crazy, it is really crazy.
“As law enforcement agents, we will not be taking advantage of very vulnerable sector of our population. Especially, those that are engaged in their legitimate businesses. And then, some people will want to take advantage of them. We abhor these kinds of practices. And we assure members of the public that if any officer is found to be involved in such act, that officer will be dealt with.
“The Command has set up complaint desk to address the molestation of females on this corridor.
“Recently, we got a report from the visiting team of ECOWAS. They stated that there has been reported cases of females using the Lagos-Seme corridor. And that the users of this road are being subjected to one form of molestation or the other.”
Bomodi, however, used the occasion of the press briefing to disclosed that there has been an increase in the movement of narcotics and other dangerous drugs from Ghana. He said a total of 1,254 parcels of Sativa Cannabis were intercepted within the first three months of this year.
source: Vanguard
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