A group, Arewa Youth Traders Association of Nigeria has claimed that its members, who are mainly dealing in textile are “losing billions” as a result of the continued closure of Nigeria’s land borders.

President of the association Abubakar Kabir Babawo disclosed this on Wednesday during a stakeholders’ meeting to find solutions to the border shutdown.

KANO FOCUS reports that on August 19 the Nigerian government had closed its land borders to check smuggling of food items especially rice as well as weapons into the country.

The operation code-named ‘Ex-Swift Response’ is being jointly conducted by the Nigeria customs, immigration, police and military personnel.

Mr Babawo urged President Muhammadu Buhari to consider re-opening the borders for legitimate trade to ease the “gradual economic suffocation in the country.”

He said the association, disturbed by the plight of traders, went on a fact-finding mission in northern markets and discovered that “traders are at risk of losing billions in their business.”

He added that “it is unfortunate that some people are misleading the president by advising him to engage in blanket closure of the official borders that have all government security agencies fully in charge of checkmating unwanted imported goods into the country.”

Source: kanofocus.com