President Bola Tinubu has ordered the establishment of a Presidential Task Force to dismantle numerous checkpoints along Nigeria’s borders that hinder the free movement of people and goods, beginning with the Seme-Badagry corridor. This directive, revealed by Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to ECOWAS, Ambassador Musa Nuhu, comes amid growing complaints from motorists and local communities about extortion and delays caused by these checkpoints.
The task force, operating under the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, aims to address concerns about harassment and illegal payments along the corridor. During a joint visit to the Nigeria-Benin Republic border, Nuhu assured that the government is committed to resolving these issues, which have long impeded trade and travel at West Africa’s busiest border crossing.
Also speaking at the border visit, ECOWAS Commission President Omar Alieu Touray condemned unofficial charges and called for transparent, receipt-based payments for any necessary security checks. He emphasized that such actions are vital to protecting regional integration efforts and ensuring the smooth implementation of ECOWAS protocols on free movement.
