As the continued closure of Nigeria’s land borders bites businesses in neighbouring countries that rely on the free flow of goods into the country for income, the President of Burkina Faso met with President Buhari on the way forward.
The President of Burkina Faso, His Excellency President Roch Marc Christian Kabore, paid a visit to President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday 21st of February at the State House in Abuja to discuss the concerns of the ECOWAS countries about the closed Nigeria’s land borders.
President Kabore chairs the ECOWAS Committee that is tasked with working with Nigeria on resolving the partial closure of the country’s land borders.
Nigeria’s land borders have been partially closed since August 2019 – with Benin bearing the biggest brunt of it among the countries within the ECOWAS bloc.
President Muhammadu Buhari assured Kabore that he understands the concerns of the neighbouring countries ECOWAS, and that a solution would found soon.
Buhari said he would wait for the report of some three committees working on the ways to end the problems the land border closure aims to fight. The President identified security, smuggling of weapons, ammunition and drugs as the main problems that necessitated the closure of the borders.
He then asked for patience from “our neighbours and the wider region” as he awaits the Tripartite Committee Report.
“I assured him that Nigeria is very much mindful of the concerns of neighbouring countries and ECOWAS on the issue, and that we will find an early and enduring solution,” President Buhari said in a statement.
“I am awaiting the report of Tripartite Committee, and will work as fast as I can as soon as I receive the report.
“The major problem necessitating the partial border closure has been security – the inflow of weapons, ammunition, drugs and so on.
“We are of course mindful of the need to strike the right balance between these security concerns and the legitimate movement of goods.
“I appeal for patience from our neighbours and the wider region, even as we eagerly await the Tripartite Committee Report.”
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