One week subsequent to Nigeria Customs Service’s initiation of the reopening of the Illela land border between Nigeria and Niger Republic, the government of Niger Republic officially commenced operations at its border in Konni on Friday. According to a source, Nuhu Samaila, who provided information from Konni, Niger Republic, the border was formally opened at precisely 12pm on Friday. He lauded the decision of the nation’s leadership, the military junta, for attentively addressing the desires of the populace by facilitating the reopening of the border.
“It is commendable effort, at least by the government, to have done the needful at last. It was our collective prayer that this border too should be reopened after the Nigeria side was declared open. I want to believe that this will definatly help a lot in the improvement of the economy of theses two countries, as it will facilitate more trading activities between Nigeria and Niger Republic,” he said.
Last Wednesday, the Federal Government restored electricity supply to the Republic of Niger Following President Bola Tinubu’s directive to open Nigeria’s land and air borders with neighboring country. This action came after Nigeria halted power supply to Niger on August 3, 2023, as part of sanctions imposed by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in response to a coup in Niger that deposed President-elect Mohamed Bazoum. ECOWAS, under Tinubu’s leadership, demanded the restoration of constitutional order in Niger and declared Bazoum’s arrest illegal. In accordance with the President’s directives to reopen the land border with Niger, the Nigeria Customs Service, Kebbi State command, reopened the Kamba land border, emphasized its importance for revenue generation in Kebbi State.