Buhari Orders Reopening Of Seme, Three Other Land Borders

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the immediate reopening of Seme and three other land borders.

This followed the submission of a report by the committee set up to examine the implications, led by the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed.

Speaking to correspondents after Wednesday’s meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the presidential villa Abuja, the minister named the borders as Seme, Ilela, Maigatar and Mfun.

She said the others will reopen before December 31, 2020.

Ahmed said: “I am here to just report that His Excellency the president approved the recommendations of the committee that I chaired with the Minister of Trade and Investment as member, Minister of Interior as member, Minister of Foreign Affairs as member, National Security Adviser as member and Comptroller General of Customs.

“This committee was mandated to review and advise on the reopening of the Nigerian borders and after recommendations, the president approved the reopening of four land borders, namely: Seme in the South-west part of the country, Ilela in the North-west part of the country, Maitagari in the North-west part of the country and Mfun in the South-south part of the country.

“So, these four land borders will be reopened immediately while the remaining borders are directed to be reopened on or before 31st of December, 2020.

“Mr President has also directed on the reopening of the borders that while others are being reopened, the ban on importation of rice, poultry and other banned products still subsists and will be implemented by border patrol team.”

Speaking on the gains from the closure of the borders, Minister of Trade and Investment, Otunba Niyi Adebayo, said that it enabled the nation’s security agencies to assess the problem of smuggling in the country.

Asked to name the gains of the border closure, he explained: “We have many advantages to the border closure. It has given the security agencies an opportunity to assess the problems at the borders particularly with regard to smuggling.

“As you are all aware before the border closure, a lot of petroleum products were being smuggled out from the borders to West African countries and the border closure has created a situation that has tactically stopped that.

“They have been able to calculate the amount of petroleum products being smuggled out by calculating the amount that is being lifted now compared to what was being lifted before.

“The issue of smuggling of rice to the country has reduced drastically and we are hoping that our agencies will be able to sustain that so also is the issue of poultry smuggling.

“Also, very important is the issue of importation of small arms and weapons into the country. That also has stopped.

“We are hoping and we are sure that this time around, our security agencies will be able to see that that doesn’t reoccur again. These are the issues that caused the closure of the borders in the first place and we have been able to put a stop to them.”

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