Reps urge FG to reopen borders

The House of Representatives has urged the federal government to reopen the Maigatari, Mai’Aduwa, Kongwalam, and Illela borders in Jigawa, Katsina, and Sokoto states respectively.

The House mandated the Committee on Customs and Excise to ensure implementation.

The House noted that the border towns of Maigatari in Jigawa State, Kongwalam in Katsina State, and Illela in Sokoto State, as well as Kano State, are known for their large markets where large-scale international trades take place between Nigerians and people from Niger, Mali, Chad, Cameroon and other neighbouring countries.

The House said as part of the sanctions on the Niger military junta by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Nigerian Government closed all its land borders with the Republic of Niger.

The committee was concerned that as a result of the border closure, movements across the borders and within the communities as well as socio-economic activities and cross-border trades, especially Kano which is the centre of commerce in the North have been grounded to a halt.

This, it said, is causing indescribable hardships to the people, and creating hatred between them and the neighbouring Nigerien citizens.

The House was also concerned that the resultant hardships from the border closure have given rise to smuggling activities, with an increasing number of the youth in the affected communities getting involved.

The House said some of the youths have been lured into terrorism and criminal activities, which could potentially worsen insecurity in Nigeria.

It said if the borders are reopened and the cross-border markets well regulated, it would promote peaceful and cordial relations between Nigeria and her immediate neighbours.

This, the House said, would stem the scourge of smuggling and other trans-border crimes which have negatively affected the nation’s economy and image

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