President Muhammadu Buhari say the partial closure of Nigeria’s borders is not meant to punish her neighbors, but to strengthen the country’s security and economy.
In a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, President Buhari told a select group of the Nigerian Community in the United Kingdom that the period of closure will be used for stock-taking on threats to the nation’s security and economy.
He 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 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.
Commending Nigerians in the Diaspora for their
huge home remittances more than $25 billion in 2018 the President also lauded
their individual performances in their various fields of expertise.