LAGOS, Nov. 3 (Xinhua) -- Nigeria has decided to extend the ongoing closure of its land borders till early next year, according to official document issued on Sunday.
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the extension of the border closure till Jan. 31, 2020, said Victor Dimka, comptroller in charge of enforcement with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).
Dimka, who signed the document, said that the practice has seen "overwhelming success" considering its benefits to the national economy and security.
The west African country closed all land borders with neighboring countries in October, weeks after a border security exercise involving multiple departments in August.
Dimka said the NCS has observed that a few strategic objectives have yet to be achieved, necessitating the extension.
The border security exercise in August, code-named "Ex-Swift Response," was jointly conducted by the customs, immigration, police and military personnel and coordinated by the Office of the National Security Adviser.
