National Telescope national telescope newspaper
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the easing of several sanctions against the Republic of Niger and the opening of Nigeria’s air and land borders with that country with immediate effect.
The decisions made by the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government at its extraordinary summit on February 24, 2024, in Abuja are in accordance with this, according to a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale.
It should be recalled that the leaders of ECOWAS decided to remove the economic sanctions imposed on Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso, and the Republic of Niger.
The closure of the air and land borders between Nigeria and the Republic of Niger, as well as the ECOWAS no-fly zone on all commercial flights to and from the Niger Republic, were among the sanctions imposed on the country that have now been lifted.
The statement, which wastitled ‘Nigeria opens land and air borders with the Republic of Niger and lifts other sanctions’ reads:
“President Bola Tinubu has directed the opening of Nigeria’s land and air borders with the Republic of Niger and the lifting of other sanctions against the country with immediate effect.
“This directive is in compliance with the decisions of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government at its extraordinary summit on February 24, 2024, in Abuja.
“ECOWAS leaders had agreed to lift economic sanctions against the Republic of Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea.
“The President has directed that the following sanctions imposed on the Republic of Niger be lifted immediately:
“Closure of land and air borders between Nigeria and the Niger Republic, as well as the ECOWAS no-fly zone on all commercial flights to and from the Niger Republic.
“Suspension of all commercial and financial transactions between Nigeria and Niger, as well as freeze of all service transactions, including utility services and electricity to the Niger Republic.
“Freeze of assets of the Republic of Niger in ECOWAS Central Banks and freeze of assets of the Republic of Niger, state enterprises, and parastatals in commercial banks.
“Suspension of Niger from all financial assistance and transactions with all financial institutions, particularly EBID and BOAD.
“Travel bans on government officials and their family members.”
