2027: I’ll reopen all borders, develop southern ports if elected – Atiku

The Presidency has confronted former Vice President Atiku Abubakar over his campaign promise to "open the borders," declaring that Nigeria's land borders are already open. In a statement released by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, it emphasized that the Federal Government reopened most land borders on March 14, 2024, and has not reversed that decision.

The Presidency stated, "Nigeria’s land borders are already open," questioning which borders Atiku intends to open since they are already so.

If Atiku is referring to relaxing existing border controls, the Presidency demanded that Nigerians be provided with specific details on the controls he intends to remove, the rationale behind their removal, and the safeguards his administration would implement against terrorism, smuggling, and human trafficking. The Presidency stressed that opening borders does not equate to having uncontrolled borders, clarifying that modern border management aims to facilitate legitimate movement, trade, and economic interaction while preventing criminals and terrorists from exploiting the same channels.

The statement highlighted the significance of effective border governance, particularly given Nigeria's security environment and its proximity to the Sahel and the Lake Chad Basin, regions plagued by terrorism and organized crime. It cited the Global Terrorism Index 2026, which reveals that approximately 41% of terrorist attacks occur within 50 kilometers of an international border, and 64% within 100 kilometers.

The Presidency argued that borderlands like Nigeria's are particularly vulnerable due to difficult terrain, weak state presence, and poor coordination, which create opportunities for terrorist organizations to operate.

Despite Nigeria's security operations in the Northeast and Northwest corridors, the Presidency clarified that these efforts were not indicative of closed borders but rather responsible border security. It challenged Atiku to provide more specifics on his proposed border policy and urged him, as an experienced politician, to distinguish between political rhetoric and fact-based policy proposals.

The Presidency insisted that Nigerians should expect a detailed explanation of how a presidential candidate plans to enhance border surveillance, strengthen intelligence-sharing with neighboring countries, modernize customs and immigration operations, deploy technology, protect border communities, and deepen regional cooperation against terrorism and organized crime.