We’ll soon reopen the borders, says Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari told state governors during a meeting
on Tuesday, December 8, 2020, that the nation’s land borders which
have been shut since August 2019, in a bid to curb smuggling and
stimulate local production, will be reopened as soon as
possible.

The border closure has been heavily criticized in business
circles as a daft piece of protectionist policy; and has been
pin-pointed as a contributory factor to inflation, food shortages
and a further weakening of the nation’s currency.

“In my meeting with state governors today, I explained that the
closure of Nigeria’s land borders was partly an attempt to control
the smuggling in of weapons and drugs.

“Now that the message has sunk in with our neighbours, we’re
looking into reopening the borders as soon as possible,” the
president said in a tweet.

The meeting with the governors was held amid the worrying spate
of insecurity and banditry in the land.

The president will address a joint session of parliament on
Thursday, December 10 with the subject of security on the front
burner.

President Muhammadu Buhari told state governors during a meeting
on Tuesday, December 8, 2020, that the nation’s land borders which
have been shut since August 2019, in a bid to curb smuggling and
stimulate local production, will be reopened as soon as
possible.

The border closure has been heavily criticized in business
circles as a daft piece of protectionist policy; and has been
pin-pointed as a contributory factor to inflation, food shortages
and a further weakening of the nation’s currency.

“In my meeting with state governors today, I explained that the
closure of Nigeria’s land borders was partly an attempt to control
the smuggling in of weapons and drugs.

“Now that the message has sunk in with our neighbours, we’re
looking into reopening the borders as soon as possible,” the
president said in a tweet.

The meeting with the governors was held amid the worrying spate
of insecurity and banditry in the land.

The president will address a joint session of parliament on
Thursday, December 10 with the subject of security on the front
burner.