The Comptroller-General of Customs, Col Hameed Ali (retd.), on Monday, said Nigeria’s borders remained shut due to yet-to-be-concluded border security strategies between Nigeria and neighbouring communities.

Ali stated this at an event held at the Customs headquarters in Abuja to celebrate the 2020 International Customs Day.

The event, which is celebrated annually by all Customs community across the world, had as its theme as, “Customs fostering sustainability for people, prosperity and the planet”.

Ali said, “We are still working with them (neighbouring countries). There are some parameters and we have reached a certain understanding by refining some of those things.

“We need a process and a situation where our borders are secured and all the menace experienced at our borders will no longer be.

“We are working on those parameters and I believe that as soon as we begin to get to conclude on them, we will relax certain things at the borders.

“But for now, we are still conducting our partial border closure under the drill and we are expecting that not too long from now when we get responsive adherence from our own neighbours, we will see how we can work together to fortify our border.

“We are not only talking about Nigeria but we are also asking them to ensure that their own borders are fortified against illicit activities.”