BY ABDULKADIR M. LAWAN, MARCH 13, 2024 | 03:55 PM
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the opening of Nigeria's land and air borders with the Republic of Niger.
The president gave the directives in a statement issued on Wednesday by Chief Ajuri Ngelale, the president's spokesman.
According to Ngelale, the president also lifted other sanctions against the country with immediate effect.
He said the directives is in compliance with the decisions of the Economic Community of West African States Authority of Heads of State and Government at its extraordinary summit held in Abuja on February 24, 2024.
'ECOWAS leaders had agreed to lift economic sanctions against the Republic of Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea,' the statement said.
The president has directed that the following sanctions imposed on the Republic of Niger be lifted immediately:
Closure of land and air borders between Nigeria and Niger Republic, as well as ECOWAS no-fly zone on commercial flights to and from Niger Republic.
Suspension of all commercial and financial transactions between Nigeria and Niger as well as freeze of all service transactions, including utility services and electricity to Niger Republic.
Freeze of assets of Republic of Niger in ECOWAS Central Banks and freeze of assets of the Republic of Niger, state enterprises, and parastatals in commercial banks.
Suspension of Niger from all financial assistance and transportations with all financial institutions, particularly EBID and BOAD.
Travels band on government officials and their family members.
'President Tinubu has also approved the lifting of financial and economic sanctions against the Republic of Guinea,' Ngelale added.
Recall that the sanctions was earlier imposed few months ago following the bloodless coup d’etat by the military junta in the neighbouring country, the leadership of ECOWAS, led by President Bola Tinubu announced some tough sanctions which included the total closure of all land borders with the country.
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