The military government in the Republic of Niger has introduced a new set of restrictions on goods entering the country from Nigeria, citing heightened security risks across the region.
The directive, issued by Colonel Mohamed Yacouba Siddo of the Customs Formalities Corporation and later shared on X by security analyst Brant Grant, instructs officers to offload and thoroughly inspect all goods originating from Nigeria — particularly items classified as “miscellaneous goods” — at designated entry points before they can move further into the country.
“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,” the circular read. It added that only consignments backed by authentic documents from recognised ports of discharge would be cleared for delivery to their final destinations.
Colonel Siddo urged full compliance with the order and asked customs officers to report any operational challenges.
The move comes in the middle of renewed regional instability, following a failed coup attempt in the Republic of Benin on Sunday. It also aligns with recent claims by the Confederation of Sahel States (AES) that eleven Nigerian military personnel were arrested in Burkina Faso for allegedly violating its airspace — an allegation the Nigerian Air Force has rejected, insisting the aircraft involved made a technical precautionary landing rather than breaching any airspace rules.
