On Friday, the Federal Government took a decisive step by issuing an immediate closure of all land borders with the Niger Republic due to the ongoing political instability in the neighboring country.
Acting Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCoS), Bashir Adeniyi Adewale, emphasized that this policy was implemented in the best interests of both nations.
He made this announcement while overseeing compliance at the Jibia Border in Katsina State.
President Ahmed Bola Tinubu’s strong advocacy for economic integration in West Africa and his belief in the potential of trade with neighboring countries to benefit Nigerians and the sub-region were highlighted by Adewale.
However, the current situation of instability and insecurity in Niger Republic hindered the prospects of meaningful trade.
In response to this situation, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) decided, through the collective authority of the Heads of States, to suspend and close all land borders with Niger Republic.
To ensure the implementation of the border closure, the Nigeria Customs Service deployed officers and joint operations teams to all porous borders.
These teams, in collaboration with other security agencies, are responsible for enforcing the policy in its entirety.
The Customs boss stressed the importance of 100% compliance, meaning that all inbound and outbound cargoes in and out of Nigeria will be restricted during the period of the border closure.
The authorities are determined to uphold this measure to address the present security challenges in the region.