Omokri warns against Atiku’s border reopening, fuel subsidy plans

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

Ambassador-designate to Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala and Nicaragua, Reno Omokri, has cautioned against plans to reintroduce fuel subsidy and fully reopen Nigeria’s land borders, warning that the combination could encourage large-scale smuggling and worsen the country’s security and economic challenges.

Omokri was reacting to the proposal by former Vice-President and African Democratic Congress, ADC, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, to reopen the country’s land borders and reintroduce fuel subsidy if elected president in the 2027 general election.

Atiku had said the measures would revive trans-border trade, which he argued had been disrupted by prolonged restrictions on some of Nigeria’s borders with neighbouring countries.

The former vice-president made the pledge while addressing supporters in a video shared online by ADC chieftain, Dele Momodu, on Friday.

According to Atiku, border restrictions had adversely affected businesses and contributed to unemployment, particularly among young Nigerians who depended on cross-border trade.

“So I said I am going to reopen the borders and I will,” Atiku said.

However, in a statement on Friday, Omokri warned that implementing both policies simultaneously could have serious consequences.

“If you reintroduce fuel subsidy and simultaneously reopen all of Nigeria’s land borders, what you are doing is unleashing the greatest ever smuggling of petroleum products from Nigeria to neighbouring nations,” he said.

Omokri recalled that during the period when Nigeria operated fuel subsidy alongside relatively open borders, significant volumes of subsidised petroleum products were allegedly smuggled out of the country.

He claimed that about 25 million litres of the 66.1 million litres supplied daily under the subsidised regime were smuggled out, while rice and poultry products imported through neighbouring countries were also smuggled into Nigeria.

He argued that the development contributed to pressure on Nigeria’s foreign reserves, weakened the naira and undermined local rice and poultry production.

Omokri also cited claims attributed to the Rice Processors Association of Nigeria, RIPAN, and the Poultry Association of Nigeria on the impact of smuggling on domestic production.

He warned that unrestricted reopening of the country’s land borders could also create security vulnerabilities.

“Even more than that, when you open Nigeria’s borders without restrictions, as has been proposed, you give terrorists and bandits a leeway to flood Nigeria with light weapons and ammunition, because the borders will be overwhelmed and our customs and immigration officials will be overstretched,” he said.

Omokri noted that President Bola Tinubu had previously directed the reopening of some land borders with Niger Republic, including specific routes, and that the Tsamiya border in Kebbi State was subsequently reopened.

He also pointed to the Federal Government’s plans to expand the Nigerian Army and recruit forest guards as part of efforts to strengthen border and internal security.

According to him, the government should first ensure that the country’s borders are adequately secured before considering their full reopening.

“Once we have the personnel needed to secure our porous borders, we will eventually reopen all of them,” he said.

“But to reopen all borders without first securing them is to put Nigeria’s security and her economy at risk and portends great danger for Nigerian citizens.”

Omokri urged political actors to consider the long-term implications of their policy proposals, stressing that electoral contests would end while the country would remain.

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