I Deliberately Closed The Border In 2015 & Nigerians Appreciated It- Buhari 

Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari appears to have pinched many Nigerians in the sensitive part of their body following the statement he made on Tuesday about his decision to close the border in 2015.

The president who will be completing his eight years tenure on Sunday explained reason for closing the border when he took over the government in 2015.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of newly built Nigerian Custom Headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday, the Buhari revealed that his action at that time was deliberate and Nigerians really appreciated it.

“I deliberately closed the borders because knowing Nigerians, they order rice, give some Niger address, and then they bring the rice here.

“With our land potential – we thank God Nigeria is favoured. We have people, we have land, and we have weather. How many nations are as lucky as Nigeria in the world? Very few nations are as lucky as we are! We thank God for that.

“So, closing that border – 1,600 kilometres from Lake Chad to Benin – and Nigerians insist that they have to impress their neighbours and other people and they eat foreign rice. I said, ‘No rice’.” The president said.

However, Nigerians who seem to be gradually coming to terms with the food shortage and inflation arising from the decision saw the statement as an opportunity to attack the president on social media and remind him of the hardship he created for people because of the border closure.