President Bola Tinubu has ordered the immediate opening of Nigeria’s land and air borders with Niger Republic, as well as and lifting of other sanctions against the landlocked nation.
The directive follows decisions of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Authority of Heads of State and Government at its extraordinary summit on February 24 in Abuja.
The leaders had agreed to lift economic sanctions against Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea.
Other actions directed by President Tinubu include the ECOWAS no-fly zone on all commercial flights to and from Niger Republic.
Other restrictions reversed are: suspension of all commercial and financial transactions between both countries, as well as stoppage of humanitarian services, including utility and electricity supply, to Niger Republic.
Others are the earlier asset freezing in ECOWAS Central Banks, state enterprises, parastatals and commercial banks.
The order equally affects suspension of Niger from financial assistance and transactions with all financial institutions, particularly the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) and West African Development Bank (BOAD).
The other directive by the Nigerian leader included the lifting of a travel ban on government officials and their family members.
SIMILARLY, the President approved the lifting of financial and economic sanctions against the Republic of Guinea.
