The federal government on Monday said it has banned the importation of vehicles through the land borders with effect from January 1, 2017.

A statement from the Nigeria Customs Services (NCS) today said the prohibition orders covers all new and used vehicles.

The ban is coming on the heels of a ban on the importation of rice through the land borders since April 2016. That order however restricted rice imports to the seaports but with attendant increase in smuggling activities at the borders, reports said.

The Service in the statement issued by its spokesman, Wale Adeniyi said the ban is sequel to a Presidential Directive restricting all vehicle imports to Nigeria Sea Ports only. The order takes effect from 1st January 2017.

"Importers of vehicles through the land borders are requested to utilize the grace period up till 31st December 2016 to clear their vehicle imports landed in neighbouring Ports," it said.

The Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (rtd.) in October said he was standing by for orders from Presidency to ban vehicles'; importation through land borders.

He had argued during the oversight visit of the Senate Committee on Customs to the Service headquarters in Abuja that the ban would curb smuggling along the nation';s borders.

The CEOAFRICA source reports that Seme border near Lagos is one of the major legal land borders where most used vehicles come in through to Nigeria from Cotonou, Benin Republic.

Clearing vehicles at the seaports implies that the prevailing tariff regime since 2014 applies. It requires importers to pay 35 per cent duty, five per cent VAT, one per cent inspection levy and seven per cent port surcharge for used vehicles, Nigeria';s Common External Tariff (CET) indicates.