https://www.afp.com/en/news/826/benin-counts-cost-after-nigeria-shutters-border-doc-1kf4jd1

Benin Republic Laments Nigerian Border Closure

Dozens of baskets brimming with newly-picked tomatoes gently rot in the sticky heat, becoming the latest casualty in a bout of trade tension between Benin and Nigeria.

On August 19, President Muhammadu Buhari unexpectedly closed Nigeria’s borders to goods trade with Benin and Niger, declaring the time had come to end rampant smuggling from those countries.

In Benin, Nigeria’s neighbour to the west, traders say the impact has been devastating.

“This is a distressing sight,” Agriculture Minister Gaston Dossouhoui said this month, visiting markets in the town of Grand Popo, one of the main agricultural communities of southern Benin.

“It’s very difficult for our producers. It’s a disaster.”

“Financially speaking, Benin’s small producers are under water — they’ve already had to run up millions (of CFA francs) in debt,” said Adjeoda Amoussou, head of Benin’s Chamber of Agriculture.

Buhari defended the closure by saying Benin and Niger — Nigeria’s neighbour to the northeast — had failed to police their borders properly, and chronic smuggling was the result.

“The borders will remain closed until our neighbours control what goes through the borders and comply with the laws,” warned Hameed Ali, comptroller general of the Nigeria Customs Service.

The move immediately caused a shockwave.

Unilateral border closures go against all commercial and freedom of movement treaties signed under the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

https://www.afp.com/en/news/826/benin-counts-cost-after-nigeria-shutters-border-doc-1kf4jd1

Mynd44 Lalasticlala

Smile

Funny, e be like say buhari na recessionist master o, en don dash benin republic recession.

Should we support or not.
Should we applaud our Government or dismiss this move as insensitive ?
Not an expert, will wait here to learn.

The breaking point hasn't arrived yet. The farmers have unfortunately become collateral damage in this David vs Goliath fight. Nigeria should tighten the screw further till the governments of Niger & Benin republics come to their senses and choose between providing safe havens for smugglers/economic saboteurs or looking inwards and encourage its indigenous economic activities that will yield products not subject to ban.
It is not easy to be the 6th largest importer of rice in the world. Question is to whose advantage/disadvantage.

The only good thing Buhari has done in 2019

kelvine:
Should we support or not

Who are you asking?

Nigerian youths don't know anything about this because this is not Tacha

4+4 Buhari's next level of hunger is loading... This time he will make it across the whole west African nations in the next four years, after signing agreement with the neighboring countries. This is just the beginning of the next level things.

Hmmmmmmmmmm

Imagine, so the bulk of the subsidized petrol meant to be consumed in Nigeria end up being smuggled into our neighbouring countries.

If we don't have sustainable alternative, I don't see the need for the border closure. Meanwhile, people that closed the border are eaten foreign food, buying expensive foreign clothes, children live abroad, using foreign hospital, and the list goes on. Question, who is deceiving who?

I am not against border closure but it will be very evil for Buhari to close the southern borders and not close the northern borders. Meanwhile our government's should be ashamed for the smuggling activities going on at our borders or what are we paying the border securities agencies for?
I tire for this country.

Leeches .these idiots are even asking for petrol we pay biliions naira to subsidize monthly.
Buhari is not asking for too much , control smuggling ,and dumping of fake substandard goods to Nigeria and the border will be open for business.
Benin and Niger republic importers pay billions of dollars annually to their respective government on Rice only. 90% of the imported rice re free smuggled in to Nigeria without tax.

We can't continue to be Big Brother when we have our own problems too.
Economic relationship show be scratch my back ,I scratch yours.what re u bringing to the table for Nigeria to benefit from .

Everybody no like Buhari

Pressy wey mumu

They don't know what is going on

Please don't stress us here abeg... We get our own charges to deal with.

Buhari and his useless party members should obey court order and #Free Sowore

boHARDri

Christophorus:
The only good thing Buhari has done in 2019

aswear down bro

I support the border closure. I think it's the best decision this govt and it's representatives have taken since their first tenure.

Change

That's what stars do. Our population na the giant wey we be.

So these guys have been bicthing us up only for them to demand that we let let bicth us some more.
No sir
.

Close the border jooor

gunuvi:
I am not against border closure but it will be very evil for Buhari to close the southern borders and not close the northern borders. Meanwhile our government's should be ashamed for the smuggling activities going on at our borders or what are we paying the border securities agencies for?
I tire for this country.

What are you saying? Both Benin and Niger were closed

These are what IMF, world bank, KKK, Freemason, illuminati Zionists, CIA, FBI, CBN and other capitalist mechanism want. The rich should get richer and the poor poorer. Before the slavery and colonialism by the whiteman churches the Benin Republic was part of old Oyo empire, while Niger republic was part of Zaukwato caliphate, for divided & rule is the code. However, a friend in need is a friend indeed.

Na to japa sure pass

So does it mean our government are doing their own form of xenophobic attacks on other Africans?

Closing border and signing the trade pact
Like seriously why the contradictions