The federal government has not relaxed the restriction on vehicle imports through the Seme border, according to the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).

There had been rumours that the border was now open for the importation of vehicles.

In an interview with NAN on Saturday, Hussaini Abdullahi, the customs public relations officer (CPRO), Seme area command, addressed the circumstance.

According to Abdullahi, the government has not taken a decision regarding reopening the border.

He confirmed that some goods forwarders had submitted a proposal to the federal government on the recommendation of the previous minister of state for transportation, Ademola Adegoroye.

He said that in February, when the goods forwarders complained to him about how the prohibition had harmed them, the former minister had travelled to the border to officially launch various initiatives.

He claimed that Adegoroye instructed the border residents and goods forwarders to submit their requests in writing.

According to the customs spokesperson, it was confirmed that the letter from the goods forwarders had been received and taken action on by being forwarded to a higher authority during a recent visit by Ibrahim Musa, director of road transport in the ministry of transportation.

He said that no instruction had been given in this regard.

The land borders were closed by the former president Muhammadu Buhari in August 2019 as part of measures to stop smuggling and increase the domestic production ofrice.

Buhari commanded the immediate reopening of four land borders, including Seme in Lagos, on December 6, 2020.