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Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Mariam Katagum
The
Federal Government of Nigeria has disclosed that there is no fixed date for the
reopening of the country’s land borders, which were closed five months ago “to
prevent smuggling of banned items”.
In
a chat with journalists on Monday, the Minister of State for Industry, Trade
and Investment, Mariam Katagum, stated that the Federal Government had held
strategic meetings with Benin Republic and Niger to reach an agreement on
modalities for the border reopening.
She
added that a date for the borders to be reopened would be fixed after a joint
patrol team set up by Nigeria and its neighbours submit its recommendations. The
Minister said the recommendations would determine if Benin Republic and Niger
Republic have complied with trade protocols of Economic Community of West
African States (ECOWAS).
Katagum
disclosed that the joint team is made up of Customs, Air Force and other
security agencies of the countries.
According
to her: “We had the strategic meeting with the three countries and what we
agreed with our neighbors is to activate a joint border patrol and that border
patrol comprising the customs, all the security agencies and ensure to try to
follow the actual protocol laid by ECOWAS.
“The
committee met on November 25 and it is only when that committee is certain that
all the countries are respecting the ECOWAS protocol that they will recommend a
day for the opening of the border”.
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