After over fifteen months, President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the reopening of four land borders, closed in August last year.
The Presidency made this known in a tweet today. “President Buhari has directed the immediate opening of four land borders: Seme, Illela, Maigatari, and Mfun,” @NGRPresident tweeted.
Nigeria had in August 2019 closed its land borders to curtail illegal importation of drugs, small arms and agricultural products into country from neighbouring West African nations.
Stakeholders and economic experts have recommended reopening of land borders as part of the solution to economic recession that’s bitting hard on the nation’s economy.
It would also be recalled that the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, had last month hinted on the reopening of the nation’s borders.
Ahmed had said the presidential committee set up on the matter had completed its job and had recommended the reopening of the borders.
The reopening of Seme, Illela, Maigatari, and Mfun borders was disclosed on Wednesday after a Federal Executive Council meeting.