FG CLARIFIES THAT NIGERIA’S LAND BORDERS ARE NOT CLOSED
By: Safiya Abdulrahim Dabban
The Federal Government has clarified that Nigeria’s land borders are not closed, dismissing calls to “reopen” them as inaccurate.
The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made the clarification while responding to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s plan to reopen the borders if elected president in 2027.
Tunji-Ojo said several major border crossings had been reopened in recent years, while some others remain under tighter security controls due to banditry and insurgency.
He explained that the restrictions on some borders are security measures aimed at protecting border communities and traders, stressing that border management involves balancing security, documentation, customs compliance and trade facilitation.