Buhari faces fresh crisis over closure of borders

President Muhammadu Buhari may be facing fresh crisis over the closure of Nigerian borders as Nigerians are beginning to ask new questions while making insinuations that the President may be making anti-people decisions on the border closure. Several stakeholders in the Nigerian project have been asking why President Buhari ordered the closure of land borders to forestall the importation or smuggling of foreign rice into the country while he has sustained his going to London, United Kingdom (UK), for medical attention. They were of the view that the President should also place ban on overseas medical vacations by government officials including himself if the aim is to revamp the Nigerian economy or encourage local production.

Several of the stakeholders complained that while hospitals in Nigeria are underfunded and left in shabby conditions, the President delight in spending huge funds on medical vacation to UK, arguing that the poor citizens are to face the harsh conditions of the closure of Nigeria’s land borders.

There are indications that since the order on border closure was issued, prices have shut up astronomically. Some argue that the sharp increase of prices of goods and services have nothing to do with many people demanding few goods but the shock reaction of businesses to exploit Nigerians taking advantage that the Nigerian economy cannot guarantee sufficient supply of the products.

The president was perceived to have issued the directive without the guarantee that the country has the capacity for adequate production that would ensure availability of the products.

However, Nigerians appear to be demanding total ban or reversal of the relative ban in the overall interest.