The Presidency has dismissed the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar’s pledge to reopen Nigeria’s land borders if elected in 2027, saying the country’s borders are already open.

The Presidency described the former Vice President’s promise as misleading, arguing that it suggested he was either unaware of the Federal Government’s existing border policy or deliberately presenting old measures as a new campaign promise.

Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, made the position known in a statement on Friday titled, ‘Atiku and the Borders: Nigerians Deserve Facts, Not Campaign Slogans.’

Dare said the Federal Government had already announced the reopening of most of Nigeria’s land borders on March 14, 2024, adding that the policy had not been reversed.

“The facts are straightforward, Nigeria’s land borders are already open,” he said.

“It is therefore difficult to understand which borders the former Vice President intends to open when the borders are already open.”

The presidential aide also cited Tinubu’s February 14, 2026, visit to Kebbi State, where the President personally opened the Kamba border, saying the development had generated economic and diplomatic benefits.

He, however, said if Atiku was referring to the relaxation of border controls, the ADC candidate should provide Nigerians with details of the specific measures he intended to remove.

“If he means he would relax existing border controls, then Nigerians deserve to know precisely which controls he intends to remove, why he considers their removal necessary, and what safeguards his administration would deploy against terrorism, arms trafficking, smuggling, human trafficking, and other forms of transnational organised crime,” Dare stated.

The presidential spokesman accused Atiku of resorting to political slogans rather than offering a clear policy alternative.

“This distinction is fundamental. But of course, Atiku is unhinged now, and he would say or announce anything to attract and deceive the politically gullible,” he added.

Dare stressed that opening Nigeria’s borders did not mean abandoning security checks, noting that legitimate movement and commerce could coexist with effective border control.

“An open border is not an uncontrolled border,” he said, explaining that modern border management combines immigration controls, customs administration, intelligence-sharing, surveillance technology and coordinated security operations.

He further linked the issue to Nigeria’s security challenges, particularly along its borders with Niger, Chad and Cameroon.

According to him, terrorism, violent extremism and transnational organised crime remain significant threats across the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin, making effective border management essential to national security.

Dare cited the Global Terrorism Index 2026, which he said showed that about 41 per cent of terrorist attacks occur within 50 kilometres of an international border, while approximately 64 per cent take place within 100 kilometres.

He argued that the security presence along Nigeria’s North-East and North-West corridors should not be interpreted as evidence that the borders were shut.

“Nigeria’s focus on the Northeast and Northwest corridors, including the coordinated deployment of the Armed Forces and other security institutions, should not be misconstrued as evidence of closed borders. It reflects responsible border security,” Dare said.

He challenged Atiku, as a former Vice President, to move beyond the promise to “open” the borders and explain how his administration would address Nigeria’s border-security challenges.

“What Nigerians should reasonably expect from a presidential aspirant is not a slogan about ‘opening borders,’ but a detailed explanation of how his administration would improve border surveillance, strengthen intelligence-sharing with neighbouring states, modernise customs and immigration operations, deploy technology, protect border communities and deepen regional cooperation against terrorism and organised crime,” he said.

The Presidency maintained that the Tinubu administration was open to scrutiny but insisted that political debate should be based on verifiable facts.

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

“They must be monitored with technology, led by intelligence, and integrated into the country’s broader national-security and economic strategy. That is the policy conversation Nigerians deserve.”

The Presidency also questioned the substance of Atiku’s broader 2027 campaign agenda, accusing him of promising to reverse or rename policies and initiatives already being implemented by the Tinubu administration.

“Rather than presenting Nigerians with a coherent alternative, Atiku appears increasingly preoccupied with promising to reverse, reopen, or rename initiatives already being implemented,” the statement added.