Seme-Krake Border Talks Take New Turn

…As Adenuga Push for Realistic Cooperation

BY EGUONO ODJEGBA

For years, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and its Beninese counterpart have danced a familiar diplomatic rhythm at the Seme-Krake border where meetings are filled with appeals, promises, and polite nods toward cooperation.

Yet, despite the frequency of these engagements, tangible progress often felt elusive, with each new session echoing the last. But yesterday’s meeting at the Seme-Krake border signaled a shift.

Presided over by the newly appointed Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Wale Adenuga, the latest Joint Border Management Stakeholders’ Engagement broke the mold. From the release made available to Pinnacle Time signed by the Command Public Relations Officer, Chief Superintendent of Customs, Sulaiman Isah, it wasn’t just another round of appeals—it was a strategic pivot toward action.

Held on October 7, 2025, the meeting brought together officials from Nigeria and Benin Republic Customs, security agencies, and business representatives from both sides of the border. Comptroller Adenuga, speaking with clarity and resolve, emphasized the border’s critical role in West African trade and its strategic importance under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Acting on a directive from the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, Adenuga laid out a bold agenda: eliminate all impediments to trade, enforce ECOWAS protocols, and ensure the border serves as a gateway—not a bottleneck.

Among the key outcomes are the following:

Zero tolerance for obstruction: Any official or non-government actor found frustrating the free movement of compliant goods and persons will face arrest and prosecution.

Streamlined truck examination: All inspections will now be conducted at designated bays to reduce delays and improve efficiency.

Direct access to redress: Traders and travelers were urged to report grievances directly to the Controller or the Public Relations Officer for swift resolution.

Space management: Adenuga warned against turning the border into a parking lot or storage zone, stressing its role as a transit corridor.

The meeting also tackled long-standing issues like the removal of truck trackers, reduction of unnecessary checkpoints, and anti-corruption measures. Dialogue and not delay, was the new mantra.

Lt. Col Arnaud Midgrokan, Head of Benin Customs at Krake and Co-Chair of the Joint Border Post, praised Adenuga’s leadership and pledged continued collaboration to uphold the spirit of the engagement.

With this current strategic meeting under Comptroller Adenuga’s watch, the tone at Seme-Krake is manifestly changing—from repetition to resolution. And if the commitments hold, the border may finally become the seamless trade artery both nations have long envisioned.