Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo has stated that Nigerian borders are not closed and therefore cannot be reopened.

He made the clarification in response to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s comment that he would reopen the country’s land borders if elected president in 2027.

According to the minister, the previous government reopened several key border posts. Seme, Illela, Maigatari and Mfum were reopened on December 16, 2020, while Idiroko and Ikom followed on April 20, 2022. Kamba and Tsamiya in Kebbi State were also reopened for goods and services.

Tunji-Ojo noted that Atiku specifically mentioned Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Benin Republic. He explained that prolonged closures at some points along the Cameroon border, such as Banki and Amchidé, were not linked to the 2019 trade policy. Those closures were forced by Boko Haram in 2014 for security reasons and were later reopened after joint military and stabilisation efforts.

The minister said not every northern border is fully unrestricted today. Where banditry or residual insurgent activity persists, tighter controls remain a deliberate security decision rather than neglect.

He stressed that modern border management involves a balance of security, documentation, customs compliance and controlled trade facilitation. Tunji-Ojo urged that political debate should not rewrite recent history and called on Atiku to present any new border proposal clearly instead of treating trade, security and infrastructure issues as one and the same.

Photo credit: The Sun Nigeria