Borno communities decry border closure

Residents of communities in Borno bordering the Republic of Cameroon recently, appealed to the Federal Government to rescind its decision on the closure ofborders in the area.The borders were closed following the declaration of a state of emergency by President Goodluck Jonathan to curtail attacks by Boko Haram militants on innocent citizens.A cross-section of members of the communities told newsmen that the border closure had caused them untold hardship.The communities include Banki and Ngala in the Bama and Gamboru-Ngala Local Government areas respectively.The respondents said the closure had affected their means of livelihood.Malam Mohammed Modu, a 65-year old resident of Banki, explained that the closure had crippled his business.'I have lived in this town for more than 20 years as a businessman. I buy goods from Nigeria and take them to Cameroon where I sell them and make small profit.'But since the closure of the border I have been forced to remain at home doing nothing.'Modu said that the continued closure of the borders had made him spend his capital at home.Another resident, Malam Yusif Ibrahim, echoed Modu, saying that his busineses had stopped with the closure of the borders.'My wife is expecting a baby anytime from now and the closest equipped hospital to us is in Cameroon. She has been attending ante-natal clinic at the hospital before the sudden closure.'Even some of my children go to school across the border; now that the borders are closed, I do not know what to do.'Mr Solomon Iza, another resident, said he maintained two homes, one in Nigeria and the other across the border.'I have two wives, one a Nigerian living in the country while the other one is a Cameroonian living across the border.'With the sudden closure of the border, it is very difficult for me to visit my family in Cameroon.'Iza said that security guards at the border had denied him access to his family in Cameroon.Some Cameroonian entrepreneurs affected by the border closure also expressed their unhappiness, with Mrs Maria Joseph saying that the action had affected her business.'Although I am a Cameroonian, I have relatives across the border.'I visited them regularly before the closure. I felt sad when I was turned back by the officers at the border,' Joseph said.President Jonathan had announced a state of emergency in 15 local council areas across five states to checkmate the activities of Boko Haram militants.The five affected council areas in Borno were Maiduguri, Jere, Gamboru-Ngala, Bama and Biu.
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