Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo Clarifies Border Status Following Opposition Promises
During a segment on TVC News' TVC Breakfast, political analyst and former APC Lagos State Organizing Secretary, Adewale, discussed the Federal Government's response to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s campaign pledge to reopen Nigeria's land borders if elected in 2027.
Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo debunked the opposition's claims, clarifying that major land borders—including the Kamba and Tsamiya entry points in Kebbi State reopened in February 2026—are operational.
Tunji-Ojo stressed that specific border restrictions remaining in effect stem from localized counter-insurgency and anti-banditry operations rather than trade blockades.
The guest supported the government’s stance, emphasizing that modern border management must balance regional trade facilitation with national security and border population monitoring.
"Modern border management is not a binary choice between total closure and unrestricted movement; it requires security, documentation, customs compliance, and controlled trade facilitation together." — Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Minister of Interior
Deep-Dive Analysis
Key Issues Raised in the Interview
The discussion covered border management, public revenue reallocation, and opposition policy proposals:
- Status of Nigeria's Land Borders: The Interior Ministry clarified that key land borders across the country—such as Seme, Illela, Idiroko, Kamba, and Tsamiya—have been progressively reopened for trade and movement. The minister noted that treating active counter-insurgency controls as blanket trade closures misrepresents border governance.
- National Security & Porous Flanks: Addressing concerns over porous borders and cross-border insecurity from the Sahel region, the guest highlighted that no nation can entirely wall off thousands of kilometers of remote borders. Instead, effective management relies on intelligence sharing, technological surveillance, and cross-border cooperation with neighboring states.
- Economic Trade Policy vs. Free Movement: While acknowledging the impact of border restrictions on border-town micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), the guest argued that trade regulation is necessary to prevent dumping, protect local agricultural markets, and curtail petroleum product smuggling (round-tripping).
- Subsidy Reallocation Accountability: In response to opposition critiques of fuel subsidy removal, the guest defended the policy shift, noting that saved revenues are being redistributed to state and local governments, infrastructure projects, student loan schemes, and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) transit initiatives. He called on opposition figures to provide empirical data when making claims of fiscal mismanagement.
- Public Procurement and Resource Models: The analyst outlined alternative economic approaches to infrastructure, suggesting structured tax waivers and energy-barter arrangements for domestic producers like the Dangote Refinery to resolve regional energy deficits without draining public treasuries.
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