Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege, on Friday, said that the recent closure of Nigeria’s land borders was of national interest and that of ECOWAS member states contrary to some claims that the move was in violation of ECOWAS protocol. Omo-Agege made this known in Abuja during a seminar organised by the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS), a German Foundation with the theme “The roles of Parliaments in Supranational communities”.
Omo-Agege, who was represented by Mr Efe Duku, his Special Adviser on Legislative and Plenary Matters, said that the Parliament agreed with the decision of President Muhammadu Buhari on the land border closure.
The Deputy Senate President explained that the non-compliance with the provision of the ECOWAS treaty regarding the management of borders was already impacting negatively on Nigeria as a nation.
NAN quoted the Delta State Senator as saying;
“The intervention of the Deputy Senate President here today is for the closure, or better management of borders as at today is in our national interest.
“And ultimately, although they may not agree, it is also in the interest of ECOWAS as a region that they do not breach the protocol and plead pity.
“They do not breach the protocol and try to create insecurity by attacking citizens of member states.
“Our position is clear; we support the decisions of the government to better manage the borders as of today.
“We also support the decisions of the government to ensure that the economic benefits due to every member state as a result of import, customs activities, that they should get them.
“So, essentially, with regard to the resolutions reached by the ECOWAS Parliament, we think that they need to look very well at the protocol.
“And see whether recommending that Nigeria just throws the borders open and reward people or nations who are in breach of the protocol or treaty is the right way to go,” Omo-Agege said.
