NIGERIAN BORDER IS REOPENED IN NIGER

The border between the Niger Republic and Nigeria has reopened in the areas of Diffa, Tahoua, Maradi, and Dosso.

Due to the coup d’état on July 26 and the sanctions imposed by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the land border between the two nations was closed.

According to reports, the governors of these border regions received instructions from the Nigerien Ministry of Interior on Thursday to permit the reopening at precisely 12:00 midnight via a radio transmission shared on social media.

The governors have also been ordered by the ministry to strengthen security and control measures along the 1,500-kilometer land frontier.

Following the easing of ECOWAS sanctions, Nigeria opened its border some weeks ago, but Niger had not done the same until recently.

Though Beninese officials swiftly carried out the ECOWAS mandate, the border with uranium-rich Benin is still closed on the Niger side.

The Nigeran transitional authorities had previously refused to reopen the border with their southern neighbors due to security concerns.