President Bola Tinubu has directed the opening of Nigeria’s land and air borders with the Republic of Niger.
The decision is coming amidst outcries over hardship of food crisis with soaring hike in prices, which has been associated largely with the closure of the border with Niger Republic from where large proportion of foreign rice, millet and corn, get into Nigeria majorly around the North.
He also directed the lifting of other sanctions against the country with immediate effect.
“President Tinubu has also approved the lifting of financial and economic sanctions against the Republic of Guinea,” a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale read.
The statement is titled ‘Nigeria opens land and air borders with Republic of Niger, lifts other sanctions.’
Tinubu’s directive comes just days after the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government lifted economic and travel sanctions on Niger, Mali, and Guinea at its extraordinary summit on February 24, 2024, in Abuja.
ECOWAS leaders had agreed to lift economic sanctions against the Republic of Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea.
Consequently, the President has directed that the following sanctions imposed on the Republic of Niger be lifted immediately:
“Closure of land and air borders between Nigeria and Niger Republic, as well as ECOWAS no-fly zone on all commercial flights to and from Niger Republic.
“Suspension of all commercial and financial transactions between Nigeria and Niger, as well as a freeze of all service transactions, including utility services and electricity to the Niger Republic.
“Freeze of assets of the Republic of Niger in ECOWAS Central Banks and freeze of assets of the Republic of Niger, state enterprises, and parastatals in commercial banks.
“Suspension of Niger from all financial assistance and transactions with all financial institutions, particularly EBID and BOAD.
“Travel bans on government officials and their family members,” the statement read.
Recall that Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali had ealier pulled out of ECOWAS following sanctions placed on them over military seizure of power, a development that saw the price of rice and other food staples skyrocket, with outcries demanding opening of the borders. Protests recently hit some part of the North against the soaring hike in prices of food items.
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