Senator Adamu Aliero, the representative for Kebbi Central, has voiced his deep concern over the economic repercussions of the closure of the land border between Nigeria and the Republic of Niger.
In an interview with Arise Television on Tuesday, the two-term governor of Kebbi State highlighted the detrimental effects of the blockade on Nigeria’s economy and urged authorities to reconsider the decision made under the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) directive.
Expressing his reservations about the border closure, Senator Aliero labeled it as unnecessary and advocated for a reversal of the directive.
He emphasized the impact on communities residing near the border, particularly those in the affected states in the North.
Aliero, representing the sentiments of federal lawmakers from the region, disclosed that they had collectively called on the federal government to reopen the border to facilitate business activities.
“Our people living in the communities that shared the border with Niger are the ones suffering and bearing the brunt. If you go to the border today, you will see over a thousand trucks coming back to the country with goods from different countries but are stuck at the border because of this ECOWAS sanction,” Senator Aliero lamented.
He further highlighted the collateral damage, pointing out that agreements, such as the one related to the dredging of the dam supplying electricity to Nigeria, had been compromised due to the border closure.
Aliero expressed dismay over the disruption of the power supply to Niger Republic, emphasizing that it not only violated agreements but also affected ordinary citizens more than the intended targets, the military junta.
According to Aliero, the enforcement of ECOWAS sanctions on Niger, prompted by the overthrow of President Mohamed Bazoum, did not yield the expected results.
He pointed out that most other countries did not adhere to the outlined sanctions, and the measures taken, especially the border closure and electricity supply cutoff, disproportionately impacted civilians rather than the military junta.
The backdrop of ECOWAS sanctions on Niger, imposed after the overthrow of Bazoum by rebel elite soldiers on July 26, led to a ban on trade with Niger and the threat of military action to restore democracy by the 15-member West African bloc.
However, Senator Aliero’s insights shed light on the unintended consequences and the plea for a reconsideration of the measures to mitigate the adverse effects on ordinary citizens and regional economic activities.
