Arewa Economic Forum ( AEF) said its members are losing about N13 billion a week to the enforcement of Nigeria – Niger border closure by the Nigeria government .
The Chairman of the Forum Mallam Ibrahim Shehu Dandakata confirmed the figure on Sunday in Abuja at a press briefing conveyed to highlight financial and economic loses being incurred by his group in the wake of July 26 Coup d’etat by the military arm of Niger Republic which led to disposition of President ,Mohamed Bazoum.
Consequently, the Economic Community of West Africa States ( ECOWAS) imposed sanctions on the military authority led by General Abdourahmane Tchiani. On 4th July, Nigeria government shut all Niger Republic border links to Nigeria after ECOWAS meeting.
AEF Chairman lamented that his members consignments in trailers caught in the midst of border closure order are trapped and are rotten away.
The group pleaded with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to order opening of alternative route at Maje in Kebbi state for traders to cross stranded consignments whose contents he said are perishable food items such as beans, animals, tomatoes and peppers. He said majority of meat, food items consume in the country come from that axis.
“Trade between Niger and Nigeria is usually informal especially in perishable goods and only last year alone, it is estimated at about N177 billion in goods and services like livestock and food items
Therefore, further closure of the border will be detrimental to the huge trade going on between these two countries.
“We hereby appeal to President Tinubu to open the maje-illo border in Kebbi state to enable traders bring in their goods into the country and empower customs to collect import duty thereafter,” he explained.
Also speaking, a trader and member of the forum, Hamza Saleh Jibiya said since the closure of the border, about 2,000 containers laden with perishable and non-perishable goods have been trapped and cannot be cleared due to the closure
“The average value of a container is between $20,000 to $70,000 which in our estimation will be about N140 billion trapped in those containers.
“The alternative which we appeal now is for the federal government to open the maje-illo border in Kebbi to enable us remain in business,” he added