We are not opening borders now, Buhari tells neighbouring countries

President Muhammadu Buhari said on Friday that the partial closure of Nigeria’s land borders would remain in force.

The President spoke in Abuja when he received the President of Burkina Faso, Mr Roch Marc Christian Kabore, at the Presidential Villa.

He called on neighbouring countries affected negatively by the policy to be patient until the report of the tripartite committee made up of Nigeria, Benin and Niger Republic was ready.

He stated that Nigeria’s next action would be determined by the content of the report, an intervention by the Economic Community of West African States.

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The Burkinabe leader heads the committee.

Buhari explained that security was the major reason Nigeria shut the borders.

“Our major problem is security; the inflow of weapons, ammunition and drugs.

“We have witnessed a decline in banditry using such weapons since the partial closure of the borders. Also, our farmers are now able to sell their rice since we stopped the inflow of foreign rice, usually dumped in the country,” he said.

However, he told Kabore that his regime was not unaware of the concerns raised by Nigeria’s neighbours over the border closure and was doing everything possible to take the next step.

“I will work as fast as I can as soon as I receive the report”, his media aide, Mr Garba Shehu, quoted him as telling Kabore.

The Burkinabe leader earlier urged Buhari to reconsider his stance on the policy, saying that the committee he headed had looked into some of the issues Nigeria raised.

He claimed that some of the issues had been resolved.