The President of Nigeria His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday 13th March 2024 gave a directive to the re-opening of the Nigeria’s border with Niger Republic.
The president in a tweet made available through his official X social media page also disclosed that he has lifted other sanctions placed on Niger Republic.
Recall that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu who is equally the Chairman of Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWES) Authority of Heads of State and Government organ of the regional organization gave an order for close of Nigeria’s border with Niger Republic as a method to restore democracy back to Niger Republic. The Military carried out a successful coup that led to the army taking over the government in Niger Republic in 2023.
Nigerian President disclosed further that his decision to lift the ban is in line with the decision of ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government on 24th February 2024 extraordinary summit in Abuja where agreement was reached to lift economic sanctions against other members of the organization which are Niger Republic, Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea.
Speaking further, the president said that economic sanctions to Niger Republic such as closure of land borders, suspension of all commercial transactions, freeze of assets of the Republic of Niger in ECOWAS Central bank, travel bans on government officials including family members and suspension of Niger from all financial assistance with financial institutions especially EBID and BOAD have all been lifted.
He equally disclosed that economic sanctions placed on Republic of Guinea was also lifted.
It is not clear if the economic sanctions yielded results as military government in the mentioned countries are yet to return power back to the civilians.
Perhaps the lifting of the sanctions may be in line with brotherly love and promotion of peace in West Africa.
Niger Republic shares common boundary and borders with many states in the Northern part of Nigeria.