News
Border closure: Businesses collapse in northern communities, smuggling booms
In the Jibia Local Government Area of Katsina State, residents expressed anxiety and anger at the low level of trading.
In Katsina State, aside from the Magamar-Jibia border post, another official border with the Niger Republic in Kwangolam (pronounced Kogolam) was equally closed.
A visit to Magamar-Jibia, Kogolam Maiyardua, Baure, Dankama, and Birni Kuka, among others, showed that economic activities were at the lowest ebb. The majority of traders in these communities now trade in farm produce such as yams and grains.
At Maiyardua, for instance, many traders have shifted from transborder trading to livestock, especially cattle, goats, and poultry. The presence of a cattle market seems to be the saving grace for the transborder traders in the community as no exports and importation businesses are taking place along the Kwangolam border post again.
Security operatives, including the policemen, officers of the Nigeria Customs Service and those of the Nigeria Immigration Service, still maintain their presence and checkpoints along the Kwangolam route.
Indeed, security operatives at the Nigeria/Niger Republic border control station at Kwangolam could be said to be on vacation as no activity was going on there. If not for the presence of some residents, who engage in the car wash business a few metres away from the border post and the rope put across the road at the main gate of the border post, one could easily mistake the place for another part of the town.
During an interaction with our reporter, residents expressed anger over the situation, saying the border closure had eroded their businesses and plunged them into penury.
Ado Usman, 42, said, “Before the border closure in August, I used to come to Kwangolam every day from Zango as I was selling any product brought in through the borders. The products were mainly rice, sugar, spaghetti, and milk. I had my customers then who used to come from Kano and from all over Nigeria because they knew that once they were here, they would get the product. But since the border closure, life has not been easy. Even when some of the products find their way here, they are too expensive for people to buy.
‘’Many of us now eke out a living by assisting people to buy and sell livestock at the Maiyardua Kara market. Many of us have even joined the Okada business to survive, while some of us have relocated to other big cities like Lagos, Ibadan, and Port Harcourt where we have friends and relatives to survive. Things are really hard here but we hope the border will be reopened one day.’’
In Magamar-Jibia and other surrounding communities, including Jibia and Daddara, trading activities are at a very low ebb. Many shops have been closed down while many traders are now trading in farm produce just as in Kwangolam.
Jibia town, which used to be a commercial hub, was a shadow of itself when he visited the town over the weekend.
Many traders in Jibia who volunteered to speak after being assured of anonymity alleged that even before Nigeria closed her border with the Niger Republic, officers and men of the NCS were extorting money from traders bringing goods to Jibia from other parts of the country. The traders added that this had discouraged many traders from conducting trading activities in Jibia.
Husseini Mubarak, 45, whose shop is located in one of the markets inside Jibia town, said, “We are begging the Federal Government to reopen the border in Jibia. The border closure has made many of us poor. No business: nothing is coming in; nothing is going out. Many of us now sell yams and grains to survive since those items we used to trade in are no longer coming in. Those of us who have farms cannot even go to the farms again because of bandits. There is no single week that bandits don’t storm Jibia. Life is really terrible here now.”
At the border control post at Magammar-Jibia a few farmers were seen passing through on foot either on their way to or returning from their farms. Otherwise, the premises of the border post were completely devoid of activities.
The security operatives on duty, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said they were not facing any harassment from residents.
The Chairman of Jibia Peoples Forum, Alhaji Gide Dahiru, insisted that the border closure had brought hardships on the residents and the traders in the local government. He implored the Federal Government to find an amicable solution to the problem in the Niger Republic.
He declared, “As patriotic Nigerians, we support every action taken by the Federal Government on the border closure. We, however, need to tell the truth that many people, especially traders, now focus on farm products. The closure has made many to close shops as there are no products coming again.
“The situation in Jibia is compounded by the activities of bandits. People cannot go to farms again as bandits would kidnap them and demand ransom before they are released. So, food is scarce; there are no trading activities in all our markets again. Even the local products brought from other parts of Nigeria do not easily get to Jibia because of extortion by security agents along the Katsina/Jibia highway.
“We are only appealing to the Federal Government to know that Jibia is a local government in Nigeria and people residing there are Nigerians. Although some of us have historical links with the Niger Republic, the fact still remains that we in Jibia are Nigerians and should not be allowed to die of hunger and poverty because of the border closure and the activities of bandits.”
The Chairman of the Katsina State chapter of the Civil Society Organisations of Nigeria, Mallam Abdurahman Abdullahi, also declared that the Federal Government should review the current border closure with the Niger Republic.
He said, “Border closure affects economic activities of communities neighbouring Niger Republic. This by extension leads to an increase in criminal activities in those areas as people’s sources of livelihood have been cut off. If you go to Magama Jibia, Kongolom, Baure, Dankama, and other Katsina State communities sharing borders with Niger Republic, you will shed tears. These places that used to be commercial hubs in the past are made dry by border closure. ”
The NCS Comptroller in charge of the Katsina Area Command, Muhammed Umar, has, however, met with stakeholders in 12 border communities in Katsina State where he urged them to discourage trans-border crimes and promote national security.
Smuggling booms at Zamfara’s 100 porous borders
Zamfara State has no border post officially constructed by the Federal Government to check smuggling activities.
However, there are over 100 porous borders between the Zurmi and Shinkafi Local Government Areas of the state that link the country with the neighbouring Niger Republic.
Checks showed that there is free movement of goods and services to and from the neighbouring Niger Republic through these porous borders, a situation which explained that the border closure arrangement has collapsed.
At Gidan Jaja and Gurbin Bore towns in the Zurmi Local Government Area as well as other parts of the Shinkafi Local Government Area, vehicles and motorcycles were seen going out of the country to the Niger Republic and returning without any restrictions.
Essential commodities like rice and clothing materials are now imported to the country from Niger Republic through Gidan Jaja and other porous borders with little or no pressure from the security agents at checkpoints.
A businessman, who gave his name as Abdullahi Kaura, said Customs officers have now relaxed their activities with regard to the seizure of smuggled items unlike before when they pursued and arrested defaulters.
According to Abdullahi, Customs officers at checkpoints have stopped harassing people who import goods from Niger Republic, adding that, “business activities from the two neighbouring countries that have been crippled in the past as a result of the border closure have now returned to normal.”
Efforts to speak to Customs officers in the state proved abortive as none of them was ready to speak on the matter.
Sokoto’s Illela community is now a shadow of itself
In Sokoto State, Illela Local Government Area, which is the one-time busiest and bubbling border town between Nigeria and Niger Republic, is now a shadow of itself as commercial activities have gone down to the lowest level in the history of the town.
Most of the residents who relied on the activities of the border for their day-to-day businesses, which the majority of the youths in the area are known for, said they now find it hard to feed.
By Chinedu Sabastine
ENUGU — Tension is mounting in Umuchigbo Iji Nike Autonomous Community in Enugu East Local Government Area of Enugu State as hundreds of indigenes have rejected the alleged appointment of a traditional ruler, insisting that only a transparent election can produce their Igwe.
The residents, who gathered at the community square on weekend, declared that the autonomous community has no recognised traditional ruler and appealed to Governor Peter Mbah to direct the Ministry of Chieftaincy Affairs to conduct an election in line with the community’s constitution.
The protest followed reports that Jude Agu had been presented as the community’s traditional ruler, a move the indigenes described as unconstitutional and capable of causing unrest.
The protesters also cited a subsisting interlocutory injunction of the Enugu State High Court restraining Jude Agu from parading himself as Igwe or Igwe-elect of the community pending the determination of the substantive suit.
The order, delivered on July 25, 2025, by Justice A.A. Onovo in a suit No E/491/2023 filed by Chief Maurice Nonyelum Ekete against Jude Agu and Hon. Kenneth Mbah, directed all parties to maintain the status quo until the case is determined.
The indigenes argued that recognising any monarch without an election amounted to disregarding both the community’s constitution and a valid court order.
Addressing journalists, community elder Chief Gabriel Okoh accused former Town Union Chairman, Hon. Kenneth Mbah, of frustrating an earlier election process.
“Umuchigbo people are against imposition. All we want is election. If Jude Agu wants to be Igwe, he should come to the village square and contest like every other aspirant,” he said.
Youth leader Anthony Ikechukwu Anike warned that imposing a monarch without the consent of the people could trigger avoidable tension.
“The matter is still in court, yet we are hearing that someone has received a staff of office. We will pursue every legal means to protect our rights. The government should come and conduct a transparent election,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of other aspirants, retired Permanent Secretary Chief Maurice Nonyelum Ekete said the community’s constitution clearly prescribes election as the only legitimate process for selecting an Igwe.
“Our demand is simple. Let the Ministry of Chieftaincy Affairs conduct an election as it has done in other communities. Whoever wins should become the Igwe. We are not against anybody; we are against imposition. We are not against anybody becoming Igwe. We are only saying that whoever wants the throne should submit to a transparent election.” Chief Ekete said.
Other aspirants, Chief Joseph Iloka and Chief Josephat Ezeoha, also backed the call for a transparent election, insisting that the people should be allowed to freely choose their traditional ruler.
As of the time of filing this report, efforts to obtain the reaction of the Enugu State Ministry of Chieftaincy Affairs were unsuccessful.
Umuchigbo community rejects ‘appointed’ monarch, insists on election
By Chinedu Adonu
ENUGU — Tension is mounting in Umuchigbo Iji Nike Autonomous Community in Enugu East Local Government Area of Enugu State as hundreds of indigenes have rejected the alleged appointment of a traditional ruler, insisting that only a transparent election can produce their Igwe.
The residents, who gathered at the community square on weekend, declared that the autonomous community has no recognised traditional ruler and appealed to Governor Peter Mbah to direct the Ministry of Chieftaincy Affairs to conduct an election in line with the community’s constitution.
The protest followed reports that Jude Agu had been presented as the community’s traditional ruler, a move the indigenes described as unconstitutional and capable of causing unrest.
The protesters also cited a subsisting interlocutory injunction of the Enugu State High Court restraining Jude Agu from parading himself as Igwe or Igwe-elect of the community pending the determination of the substantive suit.
The order, delivered on July 25, 2025, by Justice A.A. Onovo in a suit No E/491/2023 filed by Chief Maurice Nonyelum Ekete against Jude Agu and Hon. Kenneth Mbah, directed all parties to maintain the status quo until the case is determined.
The indigenes argued that recognising any monarch without an election amounted to disregarding both the community’s constitution and a valid court order.
Addressing journalists, community elder Chief Gabriel Okoh accused former Town Union Chairman, Hon. Kenneth Mbah, of frustrating an earlier election process.
“Umuchigbo people are against imposition. All we want is election. If Jude Agu wants to be Igwe, he should come to the village square and contest like every other aspirant,” he said.
Youth leader Anthony Ikechukwu Anike warned that imposing a monarch without the consent of the people could trigger avoidable tension.
“The matter is still in court, yet we are hearing that someone has received a staff of office. We will pursue every legal means to protect our rights. The government should come and conduct a transparent election,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of other aspirants, retired Permanent Secretary Chief Maurice Nonyelum Ekete said the community’s constitution clearly prescribes election as the only legitimate process for selecting an Igwe.
“Our demand is simple. Let the Ministry of Chieftaincy Affairs conduct an election as it has done in other communities. Whoever wins should become the Igwe. We are not against anybody; we are against imposition. We are not against anybody becoming Igwe. We are only saying that whoever wants the throne should submit to a transparent election.” Chief Ekete said.
Other aspirants, Chief Joseph Iloka and Chief Josephat Ezeoha, also backed the call for a transparent election, insisting that the people should be allowed to freely choose their traditional ruler.
As of the time of filing this report, efforts to obtain the reaction of the Enugu State Ministry of Chieftaincy Affairs were unsuccessful.
Umuchigbo community rejects ‘appointed’ monarch, insists on election
By Chinedu Adonu
ENUGU — Tension is mounting in Umuchigbo Iji Nike Autonomous Community in Enugu East Local Government Area of Enugu State as hundreds of indigenes have rejected the alleged appointment of a traditional ruler, insisting that only a transparent election can produce their Igwe.
The residents, who gathered at the community square on weekend, declared that the autonomous community has no recognised traditional ruler and appealed to Governor Peter Mbah to direct the Ministry of Chieftaincy Affairs to conduct an election in line with the community’s constitution.
The protest followed reports that Jude Agu had been presented as the community’s traditional ruler, a move the indigenes described as unconstitutional and capable of causing unrest.
The protesters also cited a subsisting interlocutory injunction of the Enugu State High Court restraining Jude Agu from parading himself as Igwe or Igwe-elect of the community pending the determination of the substantive suit.
The order, delivered on July 25, 2025, by Justice A.A. Onovo in a suit No E/491/2023 filed by Chief Maurice Nonyelum Ekete against Jude Agu and Hon. Kenneth Mbah, directed all parties to maintain the status quo until the case is determined.
The indigenes argued that recognising any monarch without an election amounted to disregarding both the community’s constitution and a valid court order.
Addressing journalists, community elder Chief Gabriel Okoh accused former Town Union Chairman, Hon. Kenneth Mbah, of frustrating an earlier election process.
“Umuchigbo people are against imposition. All we want is election. If Jude Agu wants to be Igwe, he should come to the village square and contest like every other aspirant,” he said.
Youth leader Anthony Ikechukwu Anike warned that imposing a monarch without the consent of the people could trigger avoidable tension.
“The matter is still in court, yet we are hearing that someone has received a staff of office. We will pursue every legal means to protect our rights. The government should come and conduct a transparent election,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of other aspirants, retired Permanent Secretary Chief Maurice Nonyelum Ekete said the community’s constitution clearly prescribes election as the only legitimate process for selecting an Igwe.
“Our demand is simple. Let the Ministry of Chieftaincy Affairs conduct an election as it has done in other communities. Whoever wins should become the Igwe. We are not against anybody; we are against imposition. We are not against anybody becoming Igwe. We are only saying that whoever wants the throne should submit to a transparent election.” Chief Ekete said.
Other aspirants, Chief Joseph Iloka and Chief Josephat Ezeoha, also backed the call for a transparent election, insisting that the people should be allowed to freely choose their traditional ruler.
As of the time of filing this report, efforts to obtain the reaction of the Enugu State Ministry of Chieftaincy Affairs were unsuccessful.
News
The Great Recalibration: How President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Is Restructuring Nigeria for a Stronger Tomorrow
By RT HON
CHINEDUM ENYINNAYA ORJI
“You cannot build a house for tomorrow on the weak foundation of yesterday. We must lay new blocks, even when the rain is falling.”— Adapted from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
Three years into his presidency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has embarked on what may be the most deliberate economic and governance recalibration Nigeria has seen in a generation.
He came into office on May 29, 2023 with a clear declaration: “Fuel subsidy is gone.” In that single sentence, he signaled that the era of deferring hard choices had ended.
Restructuring, at its core, is about rearranging the house so it can stand longer and serve more people. For Nigeria, that meant confronting distortions that had weakened public finances, scared investors, and made planning impossible.
The first pillar of this restructuring is fiscal discipline. By removing the costly petrol subsidy and cutting electricity subsidies, the administration stopped the bleeding of trillions of naira that once vanished into opaque payments.
The results are already visible in the numbers. The fiscal deficit narrowed from 5.4 percent of GDP in 2023 to approximately 3 percent in 2024, while federation revenue rose from ₦16.8 trillion to ₦31.9 trillion.
That new revenue is not sitting idle. It is being channeled into roads, rails, power, and social programs that touch ordinary citizens directly. More than 2,700 kilometers of roads are under construction or rehabilitation nationwide.
The second pillar is monetary credibility. The unification of exchange rates and clearing of a $4 billion FX backlog restored confidence in the naira and in Nigeria’s commitment to market-based policies.
That credibility has produced tangible dividends. The stock market surged nearly fivefold to a record 250,000 points, market capitalization grew, and international rating agency Fitch upgraded Nigeria from B- to B in April 2025.
Foreign investors, who had stayed on the sidelines, are returning. New oil and gas investments are being announced, domestic refining capacity is rising, and fuel imports are falling, easing pressure on our foreign exchange.
The third pillar is sectoral transformation. Recognizing that oil alone cannot carry Nigeria’s future, President Tinubu approved a Presidential Petroleum Reform and Value Optimisation Taskforce to design the next phase of structural reforms in that sector.
The Taskforce is not another talking shop. It is a time-bound technical body charged with delivering execution-ready blueprints to unlock capital, improve transparency, and position Nigeria as a leading global energy investment destination.
Beyond oil, the February 2026 launch of the Nigeria Industrial Policy marks a decisive shift toward manufacturing, value addition, and job creation. The goal is a $1 trillion economy in five years, driven by inclusive and decentralized growth.
This is restructuring with a human face. Through NELFUND, millions of Nigerian students now have access to loans to stay in school. The CNG program is reducing transport costs and easing the burden of subsidy removal on households.
Governance itself is being rewired. The Renewed Hope Ward Development Plan is mapping economic potential across all 8,809 wards, ensuring that planning starts from the grassroots and moves upward to the state and federal levels.
Such decentralization matters. When wards have data, they have a voice. When local governments have more resources, service delivery improves. That is how accountability becomes real, not theoretical.
On security, the administration has intensified operations against banditry, insurgency, and criminal gangs. The link is clear: no investor builds factories where there is no peace, and no farmer feeds the nation where there is no safety.
A good example is the renewed engagement with Ogoni communities. By addressing historical grievances, the government is creating the conditions to restart oil exploration in a way that benefits both the people and the treasury.
Critics are right to point out the hardship. The cost-of-living squeeze has been severe, and inflation remains a challenge. But restructuring is not magic. It is medicine, and medicine often tastes bitter before it heals.
What distinguishes this moment is political will. Previous administrations discussed these reforms for decades. President Tinubu chose to act in the first week, knowing the political cost, because the economic cost of delay was higher.
The international community has noticed. The World Bank’s April 2026 Nigeria Development Update and the IMF’s 2025 Article IV Consultation both acknowledge significant progress in restoring macroeconomic stability.
More importantly, Nigerians are beginning to see the logic. A stable currency means businesses can plan. More revenue to states means more projects in communities. More transparency means fewer excuses.
The central test ahead is jobs. With 3.5 million Nigerians entering the labor force each year, the restructuring must now translate into employment-intensive growth. The industrial policy and infrastructure push are designed for exactly that.
This is not about one man or one party. It is about laying a foundation that no future government can afford to ignore. Institutions, rules, and incentives are being reset.
History will judge this period not by the pain of the transition, but by whether we used the pain to build something durable. The early signs suggest we are.
President Tinubu’s restructuring is far from complete, but it has already changed the trajectory. Nigeria is no longer drifting. It is recalibrating, with purpose, toward a future where our resources work for our people, and where governance finally matches our potential.
RT HON
Chinedum Enyinnaya orji
APC House of Representatives Candidate for Ikwuano Umuahia Fed. Constituency writes from Amaokwe Ugba Ibeku, Abia State.
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has announced the demise of its Enugu State Sector Commander, Corps Commander Franklin O Agbakoba.
This is contained in a statement issued by FRSC Deputy Corps Commander in-charge of Enugu State Operations, DCC Kyrian C Okolo, on Friday in Enugu.
“FRSC Enugu State Sector Command received the sad news of the demise of CC Franklin Agbakoba on Thursday, July 30,2026.
“The late Sector Commander died at Niger Foundation Hospital, Enugu where he was receiving treatment.
“His corpse have been deposited at the Eastern Medical Center, Enugu,” he said.
Until his death,CC Franklin Agbakoba made inter-agency collaboration and partnership his legacy and promoted safer roads within Enugu State.
The family’s head, Imo Aguiyi-Ironsi, made the demand during an interview with Arise News on Thursday.
“I think the family needs apology. The family needs to be compensated. We need sincere apology. We need sincere reconciliation,” he said.
He described his uncle as a visionary leader who was wrongly punished for a coup he had no role in.
“He was a man of vision. He was a detribalized Nigerian. He was a good leader,” he said.
Imo Aguiyi-Ironsi noted that his uncle’s tenure as Head of State was brief and ended violently.
“He occupied the seat of head of state for only six months, and he was taken away from us.
“Not because of a sin he committed, because he wasn’t part of the January 1966 coup.”
According to him, Aguiyi-Ironsi’s death resulted from his position rather than any wrongdoing on his part.
“Only because of his position as the most senior military officer, he was told to take charge. And then that cost him his life,” he said.
He expressed hope that his appeal would reach those with the power to act on it.
“Well, I hope there are people who are in positions to make this happen that are listening to you tonight,” he said.
Aguiyi-Ironsi served as Nigeria’s Head of State from January 16 to July 29, 1966, taking charge in the aftermath of the January 15, 1966 coup that had claimed the lives of the country’s political leadership.
He survived that coup and helped crush the mutiny, but his later decision to centralise power under Decree 34, along with his failure to prosecute the plotters, fuelled resentment among northern officers.
He was killed on July 29, 1966, alongside his host, Lieutenant Colonel Adekunle Fajuyi, in a mutiny by northern soldiers that became known as the July counter-coup
The directive was contained in a memorandum dated July 13, 2026, and signed by the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, Kabir Akanbi.
Addressed to litigation staff, legal practitioners, court registrars and lawyers, the circular said the order took immediate effect and formed part of efforts to uphold professional standards within the apex court.
The memorandum read, “I am directed by the Honourable the Chief Justice of Nigeria to notify all Litigation Staff, Legal Practitioners, Court Registrars, and Lawyers that the use of the title ‘Barrister’ as a prefix to names is inappropriate and inconsistent with the standards of professionalism expected within the Supreme Court of Nigeria.”
It further directed all affected officers to immediately stop using the title in official correspondence and other official materials.
The memo stated, “Consequently, all officers concerned are hereby directed to discontinue the use of the title ‘Barrister’ before their names in all official correspondence, records, documents, identity materials, and any other official engagements with immediate effect.”
The memorandum added, “Heads of Departments and Unit Heads are requested to ensure strict compliance with this directive by all officers under their supervision. Please be guided accordingly.”
The directive comes weeks after the Council of Legal Education cautioned prospective lawyers against wearing wigs and gowns or presenting themselves as qualified legal practitioners before they are formally called to the Nigerian Bar.
The council said such conduct undermined the dignity of the legal profession and warned that violators could face disciplinary measures.
It also reminded candidates that the use of legal regalia is governed by the Rules of Professional Conduct and is reserved for duly qualified legal practitioners
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