NEWS: Nigeria's land border with Niger Republic has opened

The Niger Republic’s government opened its Konni border for business on Friday, one week after the Nigeria Customs Service authorities opened the country’s land border with Nigeria.

Our correspondent in Konni, Niger Republic, was told by a source, Nuhu Samaila, who stated that the border was opened at precisely 12 p.m. on Friday.

He expressed his admiration for the military junta’s choice to keep the border open in order to give the people’s desires a hearing.

“At the very least, the government deserves praise for finally taking the necessary action.

“It was our collective prayer that this border too should be reopened after the Nigeria side was declared open.

“I want to believe that this will definitely help a lot in the improvement of the economy of these two countries, as it will facilitate more trading activities between Nigeria and Niger Republic,” he added.

President Bola Tinubu’s order to open Nigeria’s air and land borders with the neighboring country was followed by the Federal Government’s restoration of the Republic of Niger’s energy supplies last Wednesday.

The PUNCH revealed on August 3, 2023, that the Economic Community of West African States has imposed sanctions on Nigeria, stopping power supplies to the neighboring Republic of Niger.

Following a coup that overthrew Niger’s president-elect, Mohamed Bazoum, in July 2023, ECOWAS, backed by Tinubu, placed sanctions on the country earlier in August of last year. On July 26, 2023, Bazoum was overthrown by Niger Presidential Guard officers who had seized him.

The leaders of ECOWAS reacted by declaring that Bazoum’s arrest and detention were unlawful and calling for the complete restoration of constitutional order in Niger.

Additionally, the Controller of the Nigeria Customs Service, Iheanacho Ojike, of the Kebbi State command, reopened the Kamba land border in accordance with the President’s mandate on the urgent reopening of the border with the Niger Republic.

As he reopened the border, Ojike stated that Kamba is a vital border that contributes significantly to Kebbi State’s revenue creation.