FG announces border closure

By : Dennis Erezi

Date: 21 February 2019 1:16pm WAT

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

Nigeria government has announced the closure of all land borders with effect from 12:00 noon on Friday, February 22 to 12:00 noon of Sunday, February 24, 2019.

A statement by the comptroller general of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), Muhammad Babandede, said the closure was announced by Nigeria’s interior minister.

Nigeria’s interior minister, Abdulrahman Dambazau, said the development is to restrict movements across the borders during the election days.

“Further to the Presidential Election taking place on the February 23, 2019, the Honourable Minister of Interior has directed the closure of all Nigeria Land Borders with effect from 12:00 noon of Friday, February 22 to 12:00 noon of Sunday, February 24, 2019,” Babandede said.

“This is to restrict movements across the borders during the election days. The public is to take note and ensure compliance.”

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