Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo
Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has dismissed 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 are already open and cannot be “reopened.”
In a statement issued on Saturday, the minister said Atiku’s comments created a misleading impression about the current status of Nigeria’s border operations, stressing that successive administrations had gradually reopened border posts following the partial closure introduced in 2019.
According to Tunji-Ojo, who oversees the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), the agency responsible for border and migration management, the assertion that Nigeria’s borders remain closed is inaccurate.
“As the Minister of Interior who supervises the Nigeria Immigration Service being an agency of government in charge of border and migration management, it is expedient to state that Nigerian borders are not closed and so cannot be reopened,” he said.
The minister recalled that the previous administration reopened the Seme, Illela, Maigatari and Mfum border posts on December 16, 2020, with other crossings reopened in phases.
He added that the Idiroko and Ikom border posts resumed operations for the movement of goods and services on April 20, 2022, while Kamba and Tsamiya border posts in Kebbi State were reopened under the current administration in February 2026, reconnecting Nigeria with the Niger Republic and Benin Republic.
Tunji-Ojo also addressed Atiku’s reference to borders with Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Benin Republic, explaining that the closure of some border crossings with Cameroon had no connection with the 2019 border policy.
According to him, the Banki and Amchidé border posts were shut in 2014 due to the Boko Haram insurgency and were only reopened after security conditions improved.
He noted that Banki and Amchidé resumed operations in 2019, while Fotokol and Gambaru followed in 2021 after joint military and stabilisation efforts involving Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger and Chad.
“Folding this separate, security driven history into one continuous 2019 shutdown misrepresents two distinct issues, trade regulation and counter insurgency, as a single failure,” the minister stated.
Tunji-Ojo acknowledged that some northern border crossings still operate under tighter restrictions because of ongoing security concerns.
He explained that where banditry and residual insurgent activities persist, enhanced border controls remain necessary to protect traders and border communities.
“Not every northern crossing is fully unrestricted today. Where banditry or residual insurgent activity persists, tighter control is a deliberate security judgement, not neglect, since reopening ahead of the security situation would expose traders and border communities to greater risk,” he said.
The minister stressed that effective border management goes beyond simply opening or closing borders, noting that security, proper documentation, customs compliance and trade facilitation must work together.
“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 added.
Calling for issue-based political discourse, Tunji-Ojo urged political leaders to avoid distorting recent events for electoral advantage.
“Political competition should not become a competition to rewrite recent history. 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.
