One week after the Nigeria Customs Service opened the Illela land border between Nigeria and Niger Republic, the Niger Republic government opened the Konni frontier for operations on Friday.
A source, Nuhu Samaila, who briefed reporters from Konni, in Niger Republic, said the border was declared open at exactly 12pm on Friday.
He praised the country’s government, the military junta, for listening to the people’s wishes and keeping the border open.
“It is a good effort, at least by the government, to have finally completed the necessary tasks.
“It was our collective prayer that this border too should be reopened after the Nigeria side was declared open.
“I want to believe that this will definitely help a lot in the improvement of the economy of these two countries, as it will facilitate more trading activities between Nigeria and Niger Republic,” he added.
The Federal Government had last week Wednesday restored the supply of electricity to the Republic of Niger following the directive of President Bola Tinubu that Nigeria’s land and air borders with the neighbouring country be opened.
On August 3, 2023, Newsclick Nigeria reported that the power supply from Nigeria to the Republic of Niger was stopped as part of the sanctions against the neighbouring country by the Economic Community of West African States.
Earlier in August last year, ECOWAS, led by Tinubu, imposed sanctions on Niger following a coup that toppled the country’s President-elect, Mohamed Bazoum, in July 2023. Officers of the Niger Presidential Guard had on July 26, 2023, arrested Bazoum and declared him deposed.
In their reactions, ECOWAS leaders demanded the full restoration of constitutional order in Niger and declared Bazoum’s arrest and detention illegal.
Also, in compliance with the directive of the President on the immediate reopening of the land border with Niger Republic, the Controller, Nigeria Customs Service, Kebbi State command, Iheanacho Ojike, reopened Kamba land border.
While re-opening the border, Ojike said Kamba is a strategic border with a major share in Kebbi State revenue generation.