Seme Border

Coordinates: 6°22′55″N 2°43′20″E / 6.38194°N 2.72222°E

Seme Border
Seme Border

Seme Border shown within Nigeria

Coordinates: 6°22′55″N 2°43′20″E / 6.38194°N 2.72222°E
Country  Nigeria
State Lagos State
Division Badagry Division
Time zone CET (UTC+1)

Seme Border is a settlement in Nigeria on the border with Benin, ten minutes drive from Badagry on the coastal road between Lagos and Cotonou. Seme is a part of Badagry Division of Lagos State.

At least three times in the 2005-2009 period violence has broken out in the border town, with fatal consequences.[1][2] It is reportedly a regular occurrence for Nigerian officials to harass travelers for money at the border or at checkpoints along the road leading from the border.[3][4] The border post is poorly organized, without proper vehicle routing and inspection stations. Some of the Nigerian positions have been inside Beninoise territory since April 6, 2001. This confusion is exploited by smugglers.[5] Seme is a major crossing point for immigrants entering or leaving Nigeria illegally, and for smugglers of marijuana and other illegal goods.[6]

References

  1. ↑ "Economic saboteurs in trouble as Abdullahi Dikko mounts Customs boss’ saddle". The Daily Sun. August 27, 2009. Retrieved 2009-09-18.
  2. ↑ "Gangs clashes on Nigeria border". BBC News. 31 January 2006. Retrieved 2009-09-18.
  3. ↑ "NVS Exclusive: What Really Happened At Seme". Nigerian Village Square. 15 January 2006. Retrieved 2009-09-18.
  4. ↑ "Nigeria’s border checkpoints violate regional integration agreement". Next. August 31, 2009. Retrieved 2009-09-18.
  5. ↑ "Wheat from my granary". The Daily Sun. December 20, 2007. Retrieved 2009-09-18.
  6. ↑ "At Seme, smugglers defied Labour strike order, but lost loot to Customs, others". The Daily Sun. October 21, 2004. Retrieved 2009-09-18.