Niger Crisis: Borders Closed, Nigeria Suffers of the Consequences

The Niger-Nigeria borders have been in disarray since they were closed following the coup d’état of July 26, 2023. In addition to the impact on commercial activities, this situation, which has already lasted for weeks, has led to insecurity in the area. According to reports, local populations are victims of racketeering, kidnapping and looting, due to a resurgence of bandits and an increase in arms trafficking.

The ECOWAS Heads of State, led by Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, are to blame for this scourge. They had the bad idea of ordering the closure of land borders with Niger, thinking they were punishing only the people of Niger. The repercussions of this decision in border areas are serious, both for Niger and for the countries that had to apply ECOWAS’s wishes to the letter.

So are they capable of solving the problem now, in order to save the victims? According to those involved, customs officers are understaffed and therefore incapable of securing all crossings and tracking down the perpetrators. Yet ECOWAS has an intervention force in Niger. It is more concerned with Niger than with the safety of communities in member countries. What a great disappointment!

It must be stressed that any deterioration in the security situation in Niger could have dreadful consequences in the border regions. This is a reminder to those who are keen to attack Niger militarily without looking back. When it comes to borders, it’s never too late to do better, as we often say. The sooner the situation is resolved, the better for security and stability in the sub-region and Africa as a whole.

Nadia BUHARI