The House of Representatives has called on the Federal Government to initiate diplomatic engagement with the Republic of Benin to resolve a border dispute that has led to the unilateral blockade of the Tabera–Tandu Road, a major cross-border route in Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State.
This resolution followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Mr Mohammed Omar Bio, titled “The Need to Resolve Diplomatic Insensitivity Among Border Communities in Tabera, Okuta District of Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State, Nigeria and Tandu Community in Parakou, Republic of Benin over the Unilateral Blockade of Tabera–Tandu Road by the Authorities of the Republic of Benin.”
Leading the debate on the motion, Mr Bio noted that Tabera, a Nigerian community, shares a boundary with Tandu in Parakou, Republic of Benin, and both rely heavily on the road for social and economic interaction. He explained that the proximity between the two communities has historically fostered bilateral ties, particularly in the movement of people, goods, and agricultural produce.
According to him, the Tabera–Tandu Road serves as the main agricultural trade route linking Okuta District in Nigeria with Parakou Province in Benin. However, on 6 May 2025, between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m., security personnel from Benin, in a joint operation with officials from its Ministries of Agriculture and Commerce and acting on a directive from the Beninese President, barricaded the road with large stones, effectively halting the movement of people and trade between the two nations.
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Bio expressed concern that the blockade has disrupted the seasonal cashew and soya bean trade, which is vital to the livelihoods of residents in both communities. He warned that the continued restriction could provoke unrest among affected residents and damage the longstanding relations between Nigeria and Benin.
He further emphasised that the blockade contravenes ECOWAS trade and free movement protocols, to which both Nigeria and Benin are signatories, and poses a threat to regional cooperation and stability.
In response, the House mandated its Committees on Foreign Affairs; Cooperation and Integration in Africa; and Treaties, Protocols and Agreements to intervene in the matter and report back within four weeks.
