The Federal Government has officially closed all land borders linking Nigeria with Niger Republic over the recent coup d’etat in the country.
The Acting Controller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adewale, disclosed this to journalists during a visit to the Jibia border in Katsina State.
He said the decision was in line with the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) directive on the movement of cargo between member states and Niger
The decision, according to Adewale, was to ensure peace and stability in the two countries.
ECOWAS during its last emergency session hosted by President Tinubu on Sunday in Abuja gave the Nigerien military junta a one-week ultimatum to release President Mohammed Basoum and restore constitutional order in the landlocked country.
The sub-regional body also threatened to use military force against the coup plotters if they fail to restore the democratic government in the country at the end of the ultimatum.
The Customs chief said: “My mission here is to restate the directives of President Bola Tinubu who is the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces in the Federal Republic of Nigeria and also the Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
“As we are aware, one of the chairman’s responsibilities is to promote trade between members of ECOWAS.
“But we all know that trade cannot happen in an environment where there is no peace.
“So the intention of government is to ensure that we leverage perfectly on the nexus between trade and security.”
