Arewa Consultative Forum calls for reopening of Nigeria-Niger borders

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the federal government have been urged to look into reopening the borders between Nigeria and Niger to boost trade between the two nations.

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) gave the call in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Professor Tukur Muhammad Baba.

The group bemoaned the impact of the ongoing border closures on several small-scale enterprises that operate between the two nations, including those that supply food, medicine, fuel, and energy.

According to the statement, “Since July 2023, Nigeria and other ECOWAS member countries have maintained a regime of economic sanctions, along with a threat of military intervention, to pressurise the military regime in Niger into restoring the erstwhile civilian government of Mohammed Bazoum, in response to the June 2023 military coup (in Niger).”

While condemning the military takeover in the neighbouring country, the ACF highlighted the need to protect the bilateral or multilateral agreements that have been existing between the bloc and Nigeria.

ACF stressed that Nigeria-Niger communities enjoy close historic socio-cultural, economic, and political ties that predate European colonialism and decried the imposition of “arbitrary and artificial boundaries between our peoples.”

The Economic Community of West African States, at a summit in Abuja, called for the release of the country’s deposed president in exchange for sanctions to be lifted.

The bloc has cut off all trade with the landlocked nation and threatened to use military force.