Opening of Borders with Niger Republic: NIS Leads in implementation, lift restriction on human movements

Authorities of the Nigeria Immigration Service has directed Comptrollers heading States bordering Niger Republic to promptly ensure strict compliance and lift restrictions on human movements.

The NIS, which is the lead agency in Border Security and Migration Management under the Comptroller General of Immigration Service Kemi Nana NANDAP has swiftly directed, through an official circular following the Presidential directive for the opening of Nigeria’s land and Air borders with the Republic of Niger and the lifting of other sanctions against the country with immediate effect.

The Zonal Coordinator of NIS Zone C, Headquarters, which comprises of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Yobe and Plateau States, Assistant Comptroller General (ACG) James Sunday, on a working visit to the North East states of Borno and Yobe, followed up the directive with physical monitoring of the opening of the border.

According to ACG Sunday James, the physical monitoring of the operational bases of the service to see that action is taken by the field operatives to ensure smooth opening and take off of human movement without compromising National Security.

According to ACG Sunday James, “The Comptrollers of Yobe and Borno Command have being briefed on this directive, I am here as their Zonal Coordinator to ensure full compliance, while assuring the general public of the unwavering commitment to National Security in facilitating safe and orderly border crossing while upholding the integrity and security of Nigeria’s border.”

The Federal Government of Nigeria had on Monday directed relevant border security agencies to open the Nigeria border with Niger in a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President Chief Ajuri Ngelale.

President Bola Tinubu had directed the opening of Nigeria’s land and Air borders with the Republic of Niger and the lifting of other sanctions against the country with immediate effect.

According to the statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President, Chief Ajuri Ngelale, the directive is in compliance with the decisions of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government at its extraordinary summit on February 24, 2024, in Abuja.

ECOWAS leaders had agreed to lift economic sanctions against the Republic of Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea.

The President has directed that the following sanctions imposed on the Republic of Niger be lifted immediately:

(1) Closure of land and air borders between Nigeria and Niger Republic, as well as ECOWAS no-fly zone on all commercial flights to and from Niger Republic.

(2) 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.

(3) Freeze of assets of the Republic of Niger in ECOWAS Central Banks and freeze of assets of the Republic of Niger, state enterprises, and parastatals in commercial banks.

(4) Suspension of Niger from all financial assistance and transactions with all financial institutions, particularly EBID and BOAD.

(5) Travel bans on government officials and their family members.

President Tinubu has also approved the lifting of financial and economic sanctions against the Republic of Guinea.