Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari On Monday said he would only order the reopening of the country’s land borders when the final report of the committee set up on the matter was submitted and deliberated on.

Buhari made the revelation during his meeting with President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana on thr sideline of the UK-Africa Investment Summit 2020.

He explained that the borders were not only shut to check smuggling of food items but to also combat the smuggling of arms and ammunition, as well as hard drugs being ferried into the country.

“We will get things sorted out. Our farmers, especially those who grow rice, now have a market and are happy, and we are also concerned about hard drugs and weapons. Once the committee comes up with its recommendations, we will sit and consider them,” the President said.

The President insisted that he wasn’t going to sit and watch the country’s youth be destroyed through cheap hard drugs and an unchecked influx of small arms into the country.

Though the president stated that it was regrettable that the border closure was having a negative economic impact on the country’s neighbours, he, however, added that Nigeria cannot afford to endanger its people, particularly the youths.

“The Sahel region is awash with small arms, which accounts for severe security challenges in Mali, Chad, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Nigeria. We are in fact the biggest victims,” he added.

In all, the business community and neighbouring countries, including Ghana would have to wait until the final report of the committee set up on the matter was submitted and considered.