Presidency in Atiku: Stop deceiving Nigerians

The Presidency has rejected former Vice President and ADC presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar’s claim that Nigeria’s borders are closed, describing it as misleading and insisting that land borders remain open.

The Presidency said that the federal government reopened most land borders on 14 March 2024 and did not reverse the decision.

This is contained in a statement titled “Atiku and Borders: Nigerians Deserve Facts, Not Election Slogans”, issued by Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, in Abuja.

Dare was reacting to Atiku’s recent statement that he would “open the borders” immediately after assuming office.

“The facts are clear: Nigeria’s land borders are already open. It is therefore difficult to understand which borders the former vice president intends to ‘open’.”

He said if Atiku intended to ease existing border controls, Nigerians deserve to know what controls he would remove and why.

He also asked the former vice president to explain the safeguards he plans to take against terrorism, arms trafficking, smuggling, human trafficking and other transnational crimes.

Dare noted that President Bola Tinubu had, on February 14, 2026, opened the Kamba border in Kebbi State, with attendant economic and diplomatic benefits.

“The distinction between an open border and an uncontrolled border is critical to responsible economic and national security policy,” he said.

Dare said modern border management was designed to facilitate legitimate movement, trade and economic interaction, while preventing criminals and terrorist organizations from exploiting the same channels.

“Effective border governance requires immigration control, customs administration, intelligence sharing, surveillance, technology and coordinated security operations,” he said.

The presidential aide said Nigeria’s northern security environment cannot be separated from developments in the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin.

He noted that Nigeria borders Niger, Chad and Cameroon, making cooperation with neighboring countries essential to address transnational security threats.

“As Atiku rightly recognized, Nigeria borders Niger, Chad and Cameroon. The region continues to grapple with terrorism, violent extremism and transnational organized crime.”

Osare said criminal networks could exploit porous borders to move people, weapons and other illicit materials across countries.

Citing the Global Terrorism Index 2026, he said about 41% of terrorist attacks occurred within 50 kilometers of international borders.

It added that around 64% of such attacks occurred within 100 kilometers of international borders.

“The security reality is compelling. Border areas are particularly vulnerable where difficult terrain, limited state presence and weak coordination create opportunities for terrorist organizations.”

Dare said Nigeria’s focus on security along the Northeast and Northwest corridors should not be interpreted as evidence of the country’s border closure.

He described the coordinated deployment of the armed forces and other security services along the corridors as responsible border security measures.

“Effective border management is an indispensable component of national security as domestic insurgencies evolve into increasingly interconnected and transnational terrorist threats,” he said.

Osare said political contestation is legitimate in a democracy, but statements about national security and the economy should be based on facts.

“Statements on national security and the Nigerian economy should be grounded in facts, institutional understanding and a credible alternative policy agenda,” he said.

He challenged presidential aspirants to present detailed plans for border surveillance, intelligence sharing, customs and immigration operations, technology and regional security cooperation.

“What Nigerians deserve is not a slogan about open borders, but a detailed explanation of how border surveillance and security could be improved.”

Dare said such plans should also address protecting border communities and facilitating legitimate trade and movement.

He said the Tinubu administration remains open to scrutiny and should be evaluated based on measurable achievements in security, economic recovery, border management and citizen well-being.

“Nigeria’s borders must be open to legitimate trade and movement, but secure against terrorists and criminals,” Dare said.

He added that borders must be monitored with technology, guided by intelligence and integrated into Nigeria’s broader economic and national security strategy.

“This is the political conversation Nigerians deserve,” he stressed.