After series of appeal, President Bola Tinubu has directed the reopening of Nigeria’s land and air borders with the Republic of Niger.
He has also lifted other sanctions against the country with immediate effect.
Tinubu’s directive was contained in a statement sent to the press by Ajuri Ngelale, special adviser to the president on media & publicity.
He said the directive is in compliance with the decisions of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government 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.
“The President has directed that the following sanctions imposed on the Republic of Niger be lifted immediately:
(1) 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.
(2) Suspension of all commercial and financial transactions between Nigeria and Niger, as well as freeze all service transactions, including utility services and electricity to Niger Republic.
(3) 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.
(4) Suspension of Niger from all financial assistance and transactions with all financial institutions, particularly EBID and BOAD.
(5) Travel bans on government officials and their family members.
“President Tinubu has also approved the lifting of financial and economic sanctions against the Republic of Guinea,” the statement read.
Recall that Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf on Monday appealed to President Tinubu to consider reopening the land border with Niger Republic.
Gov. Yusuf made the appeal when he received Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale as part of measures to ease hunger and starvation in the neighboring country.