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Buhari Speaks On Punishing Nigerian Neighbours With Border Closure

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Breaking: FG Closes All Land Borders, Suspends FEC Meetings Over Coronavirus

President Muhammadu Buhari says the partial closure of Nigeria’s borders was not meant to punish her neighbours as widely speculated in some quarters.

Naija News reports that President Buhari made the clarification while speaking at a meeting with a selected group of the Nigerian Community in the United Kingdom (UK) on Saturday, January 18.

This online news platform understands that the President said the closure of the Nigerian borders was meant to strengthen the country’s security and economy.

“It is common sense that you can only run the country if it is secured and that the country has not done badly in the North East,” the President said.

President Buhari explained that the period of closure will be used for stock-taking on threats to the nation’s security and economy.

The President noted that Nigerian farmers have been celebrating the closure which has drastically reduced the smuggling of agricultural produce as well as arms and ammunition.

President Buhari stressed that Nigeria’s “huge, vibrant youth population that have been encouraged to go back to the farms and were living decent and respectable lifestyles.”

He attributed the country’s virtual food security position to the “very good last three rainy seasons;” the federal government’s reduction in the price of fertilizers by 50 percent and the presidential directive to the Central Bank of Nigeria not to give foreign exchange for food imports thereby saving the nations billions of naira.

The President, who commended Nigerians in the Diaspora for their huge home remittances – more than $25 billion in 2018, also lauded their individual performances in their various fields of expertise.