MURIC Backs FG On Nigeria’s Borders Closure

The Federal Government has been applauded for closing Nigeria’s borders.
The Comptroller General, Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Col Hameed Ali (rtd), had explained that the borders were closed to checkmate three issues; including importation of arms and animation, smuggling and human trafficking.
In a statement, yesterday, the Director of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), Prof Ishaq Akintola, said the decision was to protect Nigeria’s economic interest.
MURIC added, “This decision is long overdue. Nigeria should not continue to be the economic fall guy of her neighbours. Anyone familiar with recent happenings in the global community will know that governments all over the world are taking economic decisions to protect their citizens. Britain’s Brexit saga and the United States’ border conflict with Mexico are good instances. The same America is engaged in cut-throat trade war with China.
“The fact that tiny Benin Republic, Nigeria’s closest neighbour to the West whose population is just 11.8 million imports 936,522 tons of rice which its population does not need is astounding. How can Benin Republic be the sixth largest importer of rice in the world? Is it not at Nigeria’s expense? Yet it is not Benin Republic alone. Burkina Faso, Chad, Cameroon, Mali and Niger are all milking Nigeria.