By Egena Sunday Ode
President Bola Tinubu has 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.
A statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, said this 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.
At the wake of the military coup in Niger Republic, ECOWAS had announced the imposition several sanctions on Nigeria’s neighbour, including travel bans by government official and their families.and freezing of assets among others.
The sanctions which, no doubt, resulted in economic hardship in Niger, Burkina Faso and the Republic of Guinea forced the three West African countries to threaten exit from the subregions body, ECOWAS.
According to the statement by Ngelale on Wednesday, however, President Tinubu 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 all 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 the 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 transactions with all financial institutions, particularly EBID and BOAD.
“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, the statement said.
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