Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said that the move by President Buhari on border closure was a welcome development, urging the Benin republic to mend it ways for a cordial relationship with Nigeria to continue.
Obasanjo made the statement on a sideline while on a two days Policy Dialogue of African business Association on Implementing the African Continental Free Trade Area, AFCTA Agreement at Addis Ababa, the capital Ethiopia, organised by the African Union (AU), African Development Bank AFDB, the African Export-Import Bank and AFREXIN bank among others.
Earlier this week, Prof Lumumba, the Kenyan Anti Corruption Commission Director made a statement in Lagos while attending a function where he said Nigeria is too big to be threatened by smaller neighbouring countries to resort to the closure of its borders.
Obasanjo, being the Afro-champion Initiative and coalition of Dialogue African Chairman threw his weight behind Buhari saying Benin Republic has long been tolerated by the Nigerian Authorities for being its economic saboteur.
He revealed a similar issue which happened when he was President; he called on the then Benin counterpart, Mr Nicephore Dieodonne Soglo inviting him to meet at any of the Border posts between the two countries.
Eventually, the meeting took place at Badagry border post and agreement was reached that the Nigerian Customs be stationed at Benin to allow only goods manufactured at Benin to past through otherwise Nigeria is not a dumping ground. Noting that the Economic Community of West African state (ECOWAS) was not established to make one of the countries a dumping ground to another.
Obasanjo urged for more action from President Buhari on the border laws so that Nigerian economy bounces back to its feet.
