Why custom activities on our highway is condemnable - activist

...says he got compensated for time delay

By Timothy Omobude

A Benin based activist Mr Patrick Eholor has condemned in strong terms the idea of customs checking the vehicular documents of motorist on the highways within the country.

He said it is illegal for customs to be engaging in nefarious activities which he alleged is not within the purview of their constitutional duties.

Mr Eholor stated this at his palatial resident in Benin city while briefing journalist on the illegal activities of some customs officers at Oluku, along Benin Lagos road, before Ekiadolor junction in the state.

According to him, 'it is a usurpation of function of the Federal Road Safety Corps and that of the Police. Customs should stop harassing motorists on the highways and focus on their constitutional duties, the authorities of customs should call its men especially those men in Lulu, along Benin Lagos Ore road to order to ensure sanity in the system before it get at of control.

"Oluku along Benin Lagos Ore road is an eye-saw, what is happening there if not address in earnest can result to what may not be good. That place does not have boundary with Benin Republic, Togo, Chad or any neighboring Africa or foreign country. Oluku is just a place inside Edo state, so why do we have custom officers there, looking very dangerous.

"I spent over thirty years abroad, you can not see custom officer around just like that, where they have business in boarder which is boundaries between countries. In Nigeria custom activities on our roads/highway is condemnable"

"Let me tell you, on my way coming to Benin city recently with a vehicle i bought newly, they stop me  for interrogation although we had it hot but with the intervention of their boss, i have to overlook their action. Before leaving that very place, i billed them two thousand five hundred naira per hour and they paid me ten thousand naira for four hours for the time wasted. I Patrick Eholor will not allow any body be it uniform man or not to continue to intimidate my people no matter the location, i will stand to defend the oppress like we do in one love foundation any day anytime"

He noted that the duty of the Nigerian customs was just to check for the clearance of vehicles into the country at boarder point or port not with inclusion of checking motorists licenses and other documents.