By Baron Ike
President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the request of members of the joint border operation on border closure to January 31, 2020.
The joint operation comprises officers from the army, police, Customs Servive, Immigration among others.
Code named Swift Operation, a memo signed by Controller of Customs DimkaV.D on behalf of the Deputy Controller of Customs in charge of Enforcement, Investigation and Inspection dated November 1 and sighted by Armadanews.com advised that Buhari had approved the extension.
The memo highlighted the gains from the operation and said the full benefits are yet to ne realised hence the extension.
According to Dimka, the President also pledged the prompt payment of the allowances of the personnel involved in the exercise and for fuelling of their operations vehicles.
Dimka said Buhari though acknowledged the security and economic benefits of the operation said some of the few strategic gains are far from achieved yet, hence the extension.
All sector commanders of the joint forces involved were to take note of the current development.
The Nigerian borders with some West African countries have been shut for some months now over security related matters amd smuggling.
The government said the closure is assisting in restoring sanity in the security situation in the country and in enhancing local production of food items.
Many Nigerians have cried out that the closure was hurting their businesses and affecting standard of living.
The Central Bank of Nigeria Governor Godwin Emefiele revently said the borders would remain closed until all the threats to economic recovery which includes getting the commitment of other countries to sign to certain conditions are dealt with.