By James Ogunnaike, Abeokuta

The Senator, representing Ogun West senatorial district at the Red Chamber of the National Assembly, Solomon Olamilekan Adeola has called on operatives of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) at border communities to discharge their duties with human face.

Senator Adeola, who made the call on Friday, while speaking at the 2nd Edition of Town Hall Meeting/Mega Empowerment and Thank You Tour, held at Imeko town, Imeko-Afon Local Government Area of Ogun State, bemoaned the incessant killings of border residents by the Customs operatives in Ogun State.

The senator, who condemned what he described as “incessant killings” of Ogun West residents by the customs operatives in the name of tackling smuggling, declared that the killings must be halted.

He argued that everyone residing in the border communities cannot be tagged as smugglers, rather, they are legitimate inter-border traders, stressing that the killings by the operatives of the customs are unjustifiable.

Speaking on the border closure, Adeola, who is the Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriations, said shutting the borders cannot bring about the desired solution, saying that several legitimate business activities would continue to suffer by the measure.

He equally observed that closing petrol stations within the 20 kilometers to the border has taken serious toll on the socio-economic development of the people and the communities, disclosing that efforts were ongoing at the Senate to ensure the reopening of the stations.

Adeola expressed dismay at what he described as a “selective opening”of petrol stations, emphasizing that concerted efforts have been initiated at the National Assembly to facilitate the reopening of all the stations.

At the programme, attended by leaders and members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), traditional rulers and trade associations, youths, women and artisans numbering 4,000 were given empowerment tools.

Speaking on the empowerment programme, the Adeola said, it was organized to reward constituents in Ogun West for voting him as their senator.

He explained further that the distribution of the empowerment tools was decentralized to accommodate and empower more beneficiaries in all the five local government areas in the senatorial districts.

While warning the beneficiaries of the empowerment scheme not to sell the tools, but use them to enhance their businesses, Adeola assured them that he would continue to give qualitative representation and facilitate more developmental projects to Ogun West.

He assured that rehabilitation work will soon commence on the road from Rounder to Olorunda, while the ongoing road construction in Ilara, Ilase, Oja Odan and Iselu as well as Iwoye-Oke Agbede-Moriwi will soon be completed.