FG threatens to shut borders again

Presidency has warned that it may be constrained to close the nation’s borders reopened only last week, if Nigeria’s neighbours fail to behave.

It stated that the Federal Government is studying activities at the four reopened land borders as a prelude to taking the appropriate actions.

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, made the disclosure, yesterday, while speaking on Channels Television’s programme, “Politics Today”.

Last Wednesday, Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, announced, at the end of a Federal Executive Council meeting, that the presidential committee set up on the matter had completed its job and had recommended the reopening of the borders closed August 2019, to curtail illegal importation of drugs, small arms and agricultural products into the country from neighbouring West African nations..

On December 16, the federal government had ordered the immediate reopening of four borders- Seme (Lagos), Illela (Sokoto), Maigatari (Jigawa State) and  Mfun in Cross River State.

Ahmed said the president approved the immediate reopening of the four borders, while other borders would be reopened, hopefully, before December 31, 2020.

Shehu, however, lamented that Nigeria’s neighbours had not cooperated with the country to curtail the influx of bandits and small weapons which he claimed had been fuelling insecurity in Nigeria.

“This is why the President considered the closure of the land borders for much of this time until they were reopened a week or so ago.

“This country has been talking to our neighbours, asking them that they cooperate with us, in order to stop this influx of bandits, weapons, drugs and trafficking of Nigerian women, but the cooperation has not measured up to the expectation of the president. This is why he was forced by the necessity of the situation to shut down the borders.

“Now, we are reopening in the hope that the agreement we struck with them, that they will work hand in hand with our own security agencies, with our own customs, on a trial basis, because not all entry points have been reopened. It will be tried, if it works well, then others will be reopened. If there is trouble, then the government may have a rethink.”