Nigeria’s borders not closed, Tunji-Ojo tells Atiku

Vanguard NigeriaIndependentCenter4 hr. ago

Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo has denied claims made by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar that Nigeria's land borders are currently closed, stating that they were never officially closed in the first place. Tunji-Ojo emphasized that the Nigerian government has been actively managing and reopening various border points over recent years, including locations like Seme, Illela, Maigatari, Mfum, Idiroko, Ikom, Kamba, and Tsamiya. He clarified that the prolonged closures along the Cameroon border at Banki and Amchidé were due to security concerns related to Boko Haram, not the 2019 trade policy. Tunji-Ojo argued that conflating these different issues, security and trade, misrepresents the situation and highlights the complexity of modern border management, which involves balancing security needs with trade facilitation.

Bias read (Center): The article presents both sides of the debate: Tunji-Ojo's denial of border closures and his explanation of historical and security-related factors, alongside Atiku's claim that the borders are closed. There is no overtly biased language, and the framing appears balanced, focusing on clarifying the

Premium Times NigeriaIndependentCenter9 hr. ago

The Nigerian Presidency has criticized former Vice President Atiku Abubakar's proposal to reopen land borders, stating that most of Nigeria's land borders were already reopened in March 2024 under President Bola Tinubu's administration. Atiku, running as the presidential candidate for the African Democratic Congress (ADC), claimed that the closure of borders has led to economic hardship and increased insecurity, prompting him to propose reopening them and developing southern seaports for a more balanced trade system. The Presidency questioned the specifics of Atiku's plan, asking for clarification on which border controls he intended to relax and what measures his administration would take to combat cross-border crimes such as terrorism and smuggling.

Bias read (Center): The article presents both the Presidency's stance and Atiku's proposals without overtly favoring either side. It quotes statements from both parties and does not employ biased language or selective sourcing.