The lawmakers noted that the closure of borders is causing hardship to the people in some northern states.
The House of Representatives has asked the federal government to reopen the Nigerian borders with Niger Republic which were closed after the military coup in that country.
The House specifically asked the government to reopen the Maigatari, Mai'Adua, Kongwalam and Illela borders.
This followed a motion moved by the Deputy Minority Whip, Aliyu Madaki (NNPP, Kano) during plenary on Tuesday.
The lawmakers, however, rejected another prayer of the motion seeking to open the borders in the southern part of Nigeria.
Sanction on Niger Republic
ECOWAS imposed sanctions on the Niger Republic as part of measures to restore constitutional democracy after Abdourahamane Tchiani, the commander of Niger's presidential guards, ousted the country's constitutionally-elected government on 26 July.
The sanctions include the closure of land and air borders between ECOWAS countries and Niger; the suspension of all commercial and financial transactions between ECOWAS Member States and Niger.
The sanctions were meant to mount pressure on the junta to return power to civilian rule.
The Senate had in August rejected the request by Mr Tinubu, who is also the chairman of ECOWAS, to deploy Nigerian troops in Niger Republic as part of an ECOWAS force to reinstate the democratically elected president of the country.
Also, several northern lawmakers openly spoke against military action against Niger.
Open the borders
Moving the motion, Mr Madaki said the closure of borders is causing hardship to the people of Maigatari in Jigawa State, Kongwalam in Katsina State and Illela in Sokoto and Kano states.
The legislator said the border posts "are known for their large markets where large-scale international trades take place between Nigerians and people from Niger, Mali, Chad, Cameroon and other neighbouring countries."
The lawmaker disclosed that Kano State has been hard hit by the border closure in compliance with the sanction by the ECOWAS.
Speaking against the motion, Bello Kojoe, said the call for the opening of the borders is akin to supporting the action of the military junta in Niger.
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He moved an amendment to postpone the opening till after the ECOWAS sanction is lifted. However, the amendment was rejected by the members.
Southern borders
Mudashir Alani (PDP, Osun) also proposed an amendment for the opening of the land borders in the south, which were closed by the immediate past administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
The then president had in 2019 ordered the closure of land borders to curb the influx of smuggled goods from neighbouring countries such as Benin, Niger and Cameroon.
The government justified the partial border closure as part of measures to curb armed banditry, human trafficking, irregular migration, the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, and other trans-border crimes.
However, in December 2020, the government partially opened four borders, including Seme in the South-west part of the country, Ilela in the North-west part, Maitagari in the North-west part and Mfun in the South-south
The amendment moved by Mr Alani was rejected when the Spaeaker, Abbas Tajudeen, put it to vote.
Lawmakers back main motion
However the main motion asking the government to open the borders with Niger Republic was adopted by the House, which then mandated its Committee on Customs and Excise to ensure implementation.
The House also urged customs to stop harassing businessmen who are operating at the borders.
Meanwhile, complying with the motion could threaten the ECOWAS sanction on the military junta in Niger Republic.
