A group, known as Social Integrity Network (SIN), has warned that Nigeria’s economy may soon collapse in view of the quantum of smuggling activities taking place in the country.
Addressing a press conference at the weekend in Kaduna, the national coordinator of the group, Jubrin Abdulmalik, said Nigeria’s economy was heading to a severe point of collapse.
He blamed the intending collapse on “the many havocs precipitated” by some Government Monitoring Agencies, especially those who are directly involved in the economic and security sectors.
According to him: “Investigation into the nation’s port management and pre-shipment management has revealed that the nation’s security has been exposed to abuse, gross misconducts, undue connivance as well as aiding and abetting illegal importation of substandard products into the country at the detriment of the country.”
He noted that the security challenges bedevilling Nigeria cannot be defeated if activities of such monitoring agencies were not checked, as fire arms maybe finding their ways into Nigeria through such means.
He added that: “Nigeria remains the economic giant of Africa as evidently revealed by statistics and recurrent circumstances.
“The administration of President Muhammadu Buhari had, over the years, shown serious concerns and attentions towards ensuring that rapid economic recovery is achieved thereby, graduating to sustainability through the support of stakeholders in the various sectors of the nation.
“As we all know that no nation can develop without taking bold step towards resisting all avoidable neo-colonialism tendencies capable of enslaving her citizens and relegating the economic fortunes as well as pride investments of the nation to its lowest ebb.
“To our dismay, the unpatriotic moves have, over the years, significantly affected the Textile Industry in the past and most recently, the nation’s steel industry because smugglers had enjoyed the protection of the Standard Organization of Nigeria, (SON) and the Nigeria Customs Service thereby, channelling all manners of goods into the nation.
“This is condemnable, frivolous, unwarranted and uncharitable to the present administration. There is a deep hole in national security. There is a big alarm required to close massive revenue loss, threat on economic activities as well as, the future of Nigerians.
“Surprisingly, smuggled substandard steel products are freely traded in all markets in Nigeria thereby, subjecting local manufacturers to serious economic and social investment misfortune.
“A silent question is, where are agencies like the Nigeria Custom Service, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), despite the efforts of the Presidential Committee on Trade Malpractices and Department of State Service (DSS)?”
He appeal to the authority of the Nigeria Customs Service and the Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON), to assist President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, GCON and the Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, to succeed more in the economic policies, aimed at driving industrial revolution in Nigeria.
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