We are looking into reopening borders as soon as possible – Buhari

Nigeria is looking to reopen its land borders ‘as soon as possible’, over a year after they were closed, President Muhammadu Buhari said Tuesday.

Mr Buhari stated this during a meeting he had with governors elected on the platform of Nigeria’s ruling party, APC, in Abuja.

Nigeria shut its borders last year mainly to check smuggling and to stop the importation of agricultural produce like rice.

Mr Buhari said on Tuesday that the closure of the borders was also an attempt to control the smuggling of weapons and drugs.

“Now that the message has sunk in with our neighbours, we are looking into reopening the borders as soon as possible,” the president was quoted as saying by his spokesman, Garba Shehu.