Nigeria’s borders are already open, Presidency tackles Atiku

The Presidency has dismissed opposition frontrunner Atiku Abubakar's claim to "open the borders" during the Nigerian presidential campaign, stating that Nigeria's land borders have already been opened. In a statement released on Friday, the Special Adviser to the President on Media, Sunday Dare, clarified that Nigeria's land borders were reopened on March 14, 2024, and have remained open ever since. The statement emphasized that there is no need to "open" borders that are already open.

Atiku had initially pledged to open the borders if elected president, but the Presidency challenged him to specify which border controls he intended to remove and what safeguards his administration would put in place to address national security concerns. The Presidency explained that simply relaxing border controls is not the same as opening borders, as it could expose the country to increased threats such as terrorism, arms trafficking, and smuggling.

The Presidency highlighted the importance of border management in the context of Nigeria's security environment and its links with the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin regions. They referred to the Global Terrorism Index 2026, which revealed that a significant proportion of terrorist attacks occur within 50 and 100 kilometers of international borders. This underscores the need for effective border management to prevent terrorist organizations from exploiting porous borders for their operations.

The Presidency also noted that Nigeria's ongoing security operations in the Northeast and Northwest regions should not be misconstrued as closed borders. Rather, these efforts reflect responsible border security measures aimed at protecting the nation's citizens. They urged Atiku to provide a more detailed explanation of his proposed border policy, emphasizing that voters deserve a clear and fact-based policy proposal rather than empty slogans.