The military government in the Republic of Niger has introduced new restrictions on goods entering the country from Nigeria, citing the need for heightened security along its borders.
The directive, issued by Colonel Mohamed Yacouba Siddo of the Customs Formalities Corporation, surfaced on Monday after security analyst Brant Grant shared the notice on X.
Under the new rule, all consignments originating from Nigeria particularly what the authorities termed “miscellaneous goods” — must now be offloaded and subjected to full inspection at Niger’s entry points before they can proceed.
The notice reads, “For security requirements, all goods originating from Nigeria, particularly so-called miscellaneous goods, must be unloaded and inspected at the entry offices before any transit formalities.”
It further stated that only goods supported by verified documentation from recognised ports of discharge would be cleared for offloading at their designated final destinations.
Colonel Siddo insisted on strict adherence to the directive and instructed border personnel to promptly report any difficulties encountered during implementation.
The move follows rising tension in the sub-region, coming barely a day after a reported coup attempt in neighbouring Benin Republic.
The development also aligns with fresh claims by the Confederation of Sahel States (AES) that 11 Nigerian military officers were arrested in Burkina Faso for allegedly entering its airspace illegally.
However, the Nigerian Air Force has dismissed the allegation, insisting that the aircraft in question made an emergency landing due to a technical fault and did not violate any airspace rules.