Niger Republic now lets in only travelers with an international passport. This change comes after Niger left the ECOWAS group with Mali and Burkina Faso. Even though the border with Nigeria stays open, new rules at places like Illela and Konni make life hard for many.
One trader, Alhaji Mansur Abdullah, said that many people are being turned back at the border. He added that travelers are scared because they must now have a new passport instead of the ECOWAS one. A local source also said that border officers send people home if they do not show a national passport.
Another driver, Abubakar Isa, said that border guards ask for extra money to let travelers pass. They stop vehicles and demand a fee of 5,000 to 10,000 CFA if the traveler does not have the new document. Yet, another trader, Alhaji Nuhu Abubakar, noted that trade continues as normal despite these new checks.