With Pressure from Ghanaian President, Buhari Pleads for Endurance over Border Closure
*Awaits for border committee reports
President Muhammadu Buhari Monday called on the neighbouring countries to exercise some patience and bear with Nigeria over the closure of her land borders.
Buhari made the call following the pleas by the Ghanaian President, Mr. Nana Akufo-Addo, that Nigerian borders should be reopened.
Addo told Buhari that the closure was having a negative economic effect on neighbouring countries, particularly Ghana.
Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, in a statement said the Ghanian President met with Buhari in London where the border issues was discussed.
The statement from Adesina said Buhari had explained that the border was not closed just because of smuggling of food items but mainly to fight against influx of hard drugs, arms and ammunition into Nigeria.
Buhari explained that he was only trying to save Nigerian youths from the use of hard drugs as well as security measures.
He said that most of the vehicles coming with rice and other food items have always been discovered to be carrying cheap hard drugs and small arms.
He disclosed that it had been discovered that the Sahel region was saturated with small arms, a development he described as a major security challenge to Mali, Chad, Burkina Faso, Niger and Nigeria.
According to him, Nigeria remains the biggest victims of these arms movement.
He said he will only reopen the borders when the Committee set up on the matter submits its final report leading to a decision taken on it.
He said, “We will get things sorted out. Our farmers, especially those who grow rice, now have a market and are happy and we are also concerned about hard drugs and weapons.
“Once the committee comes up with its recommendations, we will sit and consider them”.
The two leaders are attending the UK-Africa Investment Summit 2020 in the United Kingdom.
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