The Presidency has faulted former Vice President Atiku Abubakar over his pledge to reopen Nigeria’s land borders if elected president, saying the country’s borders are already open and subject to normal security controls.
Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, made the clarification in a statement on Friday, arguing that Atiku’s proposal did not reflect the current situation at Nigeria’s international boundaries.
Dare said the Federal Government had reopened most of the country’s land borders since March 14, 2024, and had not reversed the decision.
According to him, it was therefore unclear which borders Atiku intended to reopen.
He also cited the Kamba border in Kebbi State, which President Bola Tinubu opened on February 14, 2026, saying the development had yielded economic and diplomatic benefits.
The presidential aide argued that if Atiku was proposing the removal or relaxation of existing border controls, Nigerians deserved a clear explanation of the measures involved and how his administration would address the security consequences.
Dare said any such proposal should spell out safeguards against terrorism, arms trafficking, smuggling, human trafficking and other forms of transnational organised crime.
He stressed that keeping borders open for legitimate trade and movement was different from operating borders without effective controls.
According to him, modern border management requires immigration and customs administration, surveillance, intelligence-sharing, technology and coordinated security operations.
Dare further linked effective border management to security challenges across the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin, noting that Nigeria shares boundaries with countries including Niger, Chad and Cameroon.
He said terrorism, violent extremism and organised criminal networks often exploit porous borders, making proper surveillance and cooperation with neighbouring countries essential.
Citing the Global Terrorism Index 2026, Dare said a significant proportion of terrorist attacks occur close to international borders, particularly in areas characterised by difficult terrain, weak state presence and limited security coordination.
He also dismissed suggestions that heavy military and security deployments along the North-East and North-West corridors meant the country’s borders had been closed.
According to him, the deployments are part of efforts to protect the country against insurgents, terrorists and criminal networks that operate across national boundaries.
Dare said Atiku, having previously served as Nigeria’s Vice President, should understand the difference between border closure and border security.
He challenged the former Vice President to present a detailed alternative policy covering border surveillance, intelligence-sharing, customs and immigration modernisation, technology deployment, protection of border communities and regional security cooperation.
The Presidency maintained that Nigeria’s borders should remain accessible to legitimate commerce and movement while being adequately protected against criminal and terrorist activities.
It also questioned Atiku’s broader policy proposals, accusing him of repeatedly promising to reverse or reopen initiatives that were already being implemented by the Tinubu administration.I can also give you a more punchy political headline and a shorter, sharper newspaper version if you want.
