No fewer than 2,000 trucks previously stranded at Nigeria’s borders with Benin and Niger Republics have started moving following the reopening of the Kamba and Tsamiya border posts in Kebbi State.
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) officially reopened the borders to transit trucks from Benin and Niger on Monday in Kamba, Dandi Local Government Area, in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive.
Kebbi Area Controller of NCS, Mahmoud Matawalle-Ibrahim, who performed the reopening, said the measure aims to facilitate legitimate goods transit, revive cross-border trade, and strengthen joint security along border communities after months of closure due to security concerns.
“The reopening of the borders in Dandi and Bagudo Local Government Areas is aimed at facilitating the transit of legitimate goods and reviving cross-border trade with the Republics of Benin and Niger,” Matawalle-Ibrahim stated.
He confirmed that many stranded trucks from Benin had already been cleared at Tsamiya and were heading toward Niger Republic’s Tunga Jado border through Kamba.
Commander Maigiro Yahaya-Tubil of Niger Republic welcomed the decision, noting it would stimulate the economies of both neighbouring countries.
“We are happy that our trucks, which were trapped for months, can now move freely through Nigeria to their destinations,” he said.
The District Head of Kamba, Alhaji Muhammed Sarkin-Shikon-Kamba, described the reopening as a major relief for border communities.
“This decision will bring economic benefits to our people and restore livelihoods that were affected by the closure. We sincerely appreciate the Federal Government,” he added.
The move reverses aspects of the partial border closure initiated in 2019 under former President Muhammadu Buhari, primarily to curb massive smuggling especially of rice through the corridor.
