Federal government reopens borders

Immigration officers walk on a suspension bridge built in 1948 that connects Nigeria with Cameroon at Mfum border station in Cross Rivers State, southeast Nigeria on February 1, 2018. The UN refugee agency on February 1, 2018 criticised Nigeria for breaching international agreements after the leader of a Cameroonian anglophone separatist movement and his supporters were extradited at Yaounde's request. Cameroon's government is fighting an insurgency by a group demanding a separate state for two regions that are home to most of the country's anglophones, who account for about a fifth of the population. Thousands of Cameroonians fled to the remote border region with Nigeria to escape from the violences in English-speaking southwest Cameroon. / AFP PHOTO / PIUS UTOMI EKPEI

Following the postponement of the general elections, the Nigerian government on Saturday announced it has reopened its borders to neighbouring African countries.

“The honourable minister of interior Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau has ordered the reopening of all the land borders earlier closed due to the postponement of the elections earlier scheduled for 16th, February 2019,” Comptroller general of immigration Muhammad Banbadede said in a statement.

Nigeria’s electoral body, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) postponed the general elections a few hours to the commencement with the presidential and National Assembly elections on Saturday, February 16 2019.

The presidential and National Assembly elections will hold on February 23 while the governorship and state houses of assembly elections will take place on March 9.

Babandede assured Nigerians that “Nigeria Immigration Officers will continue their normal duties to ensure that all persons crossing our land, air and sea borders travel with valid and genuine documents and also pass through recognised routes.”

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