Relationship Between Nigeria and Niger Republic: Very Strange and Leaves Alot to Imagine in APC Led Administration

By Ifeanyi Obute.

Niger Republic is an independent State, bordering Nigeria on its Southern frontiers. With more than 1.2million KM², it’s the largest West African country in terms of landmass; although close to 80% of her landmass constitute part of the notorious Sahara Desert. It’s a landlocked and very poor nation. With roughly 22million peoples that are predominantly Muslims, the landlocked and arid nature of the nation’s land, coupled with other factors, makes the country to be perpetually languishing in abject PENURY.

Due to the humongous landmass of the country, it means that it has to be sharing borders with many other countries, but it shares borders with Nigeria on her Southern axis. IT IS PERTINENT TO QUICKLY POINT OUT THAT THE 22MILLION PEOPLE OF NIGER ARE SPARSELY POSITIONED, BUT WITH A REASONABLE POPULATION CONCENTRATIONS AT THE SOUTHERN AND EASTERN PART OF THE REPUBLIC, AND IT SHARES BORDERS WITH NIGERIA ON HER SOUTHERN AXIS. MATTER OF FACT, IT’S THE PART WHERE IT HAS BORDERS WITH NIGERIA, THAT ALSO HAS THE HIGHEST POPULATION DENSITY. The point where Nigeria intersects with Niger, is the point where most of the Niger people lives and actualize themselves.

Ever since this administration of Muhammadu Buhari came to power, plenty of developmental projects from Nigeria, has been sited or proposed to be sited along our land borders with Niger Republic. The inexplicable trend, has been raising eyebrows here and there in Nigeria. Is Nigeria now on a subtle foreign intervention projects in Niger Republic? Is Nigeria’s West African foreign policy, now all about Niger? If that is so, what for?

Niger Republic shares borders with over 7 countries, but the longest shared border area was with Nigeria, covering over 1400KM². This fact means that of all the border towns Niger had, those she has with Nigeria is the largest and busiest. Also, I’ve already mentioned the population density at the Southern hemisphere, where it shares borders with Nigeria. Kaita, is a border town with Nigeria. Under this administration, NNPC (Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation), announced plans to donate 21billion Naira for a hospital construction in the town. The exact location of the proposed hospital, is just 3KM to Niger Republic; and inter border ingress and egress, is as porous as you can ever imagine. The announcement shocked most Nigerians to the bone marrows. Nigerians were like, how could such a gigantic infrastructural developmental project be sited there, a border town with Niger, when Nigeria’s health sector is in a complete state disrepair. As if that is not enough, NNPC is also proposing to reasonably extend her Oil prospective interests to the same town, where plans to start the erection of staff housing project, is underway. There is a serious plan of building a refinery there, where Oil would have to be sourced from Agadem Oil Field. Agadem inside Niger Republic! Analysts and observers are watching keenly to see how all these outrageous proposals would work out, but nevertheless, there is confirmed reports that the Government in power is actively involved in ensuring that the plans, works out. The refinery would be built in Mashi, another border town. The clandestine politics that led to all these, were resisted by the then Minister of State for Petroleum. Probably, it could be the reason why he was dropped in this second term.

All these happenings, would have been easy to dismiss as mere baseless speculations, but the recorded event of 1984, when Buhari, as the then Military Head of State, chose to vote for Idi Umoru, a Niger representative, as against Aja Nwachukwu, a Nigerian, in a contest for the position of the Secretary General of O.A.U (Organization of African Unity, now A.U; African Union) showed his deep seated inexplicable sentiments over the affairs of our desert neighbour. Also, the then Minister of State for Petroleum, Professor Ibe Kachikwu wrote an open letter, outlining and also indicting the then chief of staff to the president, late Abba Kyari and NNPC GMD, late Maikanti Baru, over the shoddy affairs going on about the strange proposal of shifting NNPC’s interests to the Niger border towns. So, it’s more or less, a very open secret!

The last straw on the camel’s back was broken when the news about the plans of Nigeria Government to borrow a whooping 1.9billion USD to sponsor a rail line project that would run from Kano, through Katsina to Niger border, was announced. The pertinent question on our lips have been, WHAT’S THE ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE/NECESSITY OF THE PROJECT TO NIGERIA, AND NIGERIANS? There are myriads of serious economic challenges, bedeviling Nigeria currently, yet this bizarre capital project that would amount to far more economic burdens than whatever gains one can envisage, is been taken as a priority. After all cool headed and objective analysis, it is clear that the main reason for the project is to unduly benefit the people of Niger, at Nigeria’s expense. We are being strategically taxed to develop another country.

The undue favouritism over the affairs/welfare of Niger Republic, by the people presently in charge of Nigeria’s Federal Government, is not a new thing. It is a glaring fact that has been there, but the major problem lies with the reluctance on the part of most Nigerians to be calling it out vehemently.

The latest approval for the rail project by the Nigerian Federal Government, is a direct AFFRONT on the sensitivities and sensibilities of all right thinking Nigerians. How could such a project be a priority for the Federal Government, amidst all the crushing hardships rampant in Nigeria. With the merciless and senseless hikes, inflation hitting rooftops, the least the Government could do, is to be embarking on a wild goose chase, with the Nigerian tax payers money. Developing another man’s land, whilst your own country is languishing in untold hardships. God help us all. Amen!

Ifeanyi Obute is EDON’S coordinator in Southeast and writes from Enugu. 08035087201. ifecojp@gmail.com.