Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has rejected claims by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar that he would reopen Nigeria's land borders if elected president in 2027, insisting that the country's borders were not closed. Tunji-Ojo, who oversees the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), said the claim stems from a misrepresentation of Nigeria's recent border management history.
Borders Reopened Since 2020
In a statement issued on Saturday, the Minister explained that Nigeria began reopening major land borders in December 2020, following the partial closure of the nation's land borders in 2019 as part of measures to address smuggling and protect domestic production. According to him, Seme, Illela, Maigatari and Mfum borders were reopened on December 16, 2020, while Idiroko and Ikom were reopened for goods and services on April 20, 2022.
He added that Kamba and Tsamiya border crossings in Kebbi State were reopened under the current administration in February 2026, providing links to Niger Republic and Benin Republic respectively. The Minister also clarified the situation along Nigeria's borders with Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Benin Republic, particularly the closures that were linked to security concerns.
Security Closures Not Trade Policy
Tunji-Ojo said the prolonged closure of Nigeria's borders with Cameroon at Banki and Amchidé was not connected to the 2019 trade policy, but dated back to 2014 when Boko Haram insurgency forced their closure. He explained that the crossings were subsequently reopened in 2019, with Fotokol and Gambaru following in 2021 after joint military and stabilisation efforts by Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger and Chad.
The Minister said conflating the security-driven border closures with the 2019 trade policy amounted to presenting two separate issues as one continuous shutdown. “Not every northern crossing is fully unrestricted today,” Tunji-Ojo stated, explaining that tighter controls remained necessary in areas where banditry or residual insurgent activities persisted.
Security Measures, Not Neglect
He said such restrictions were deliberate security measures aimed at protecting traders and border communities, rather than evidence of government neglect. According to him, effective border management goes beyond the simplistic choice between closing borders and allowing unrestricted movement.
“Modern border management is not a choice between total closure and unrestricted movement; it requires security, documentation, customs compliance and controlled trade facilitation together,” he said. Tunji-Ojo urged political actors to base their campaign promises on accurate facts, challenging Atiku to explain how his proposed border policy would differ from the current approach.
Challenge to Atiku
He said political competition should not lead to the rewriting of recent history, stressing that trade regulation, security and infrastructure challenges should be treated as distinct issues. “If he has a new border proposal, he should set it out and explain how it differs from the current approach, rather than treating separate trade, security and infrastructure issues as one and the same,” the Minister said.
