Reno Omokri Warns Atiku Against Reopening Borders, Restoring Fuel Subsidy

Reno Omokri, Nigeria’s ambassador-designate to Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala and Nicaragua, has warned that reopening all land borders while bringing back fuel subsidy could create serious economic and security problems for the country.

Omokri made the statement on Friday while reacting to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s position on what he would do if elected president in the 2027 general election.

Atiku had said he would reopen Nigeria’s land borders and restore fuel subsidy, arguing that the measures would help revive trade between Nigeria and neighbouring countries.

Omokri, however, disagreed with the proposal, warning that combining fuel subsidy with unrestricted border access could encourage the large-scale movement of subsidised petroleum products out of Nigeria.

He said, “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.”

According to Omokri, Nigeria experienced significant fuel smuggling during the period when subsidy was in place and the country’s land borders were more open.

He claimed that millions of litres of subsidised petrol were taken out of Nigeria, while goods such as rice and poultry products also entered the country illegally through neighbouring nations.

Omokri argued that the alleged activities placed additional pressure on Nigeria’s foreign exchange reserves, affected the naira and made it harder for local farmers and producers to compete.

Beyond the economic concerns, he raised questions about the possible security consequences of opening the borders without first strengthening border controls.

“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 also pointed to President Bola Tinubu’s earlier decision to reopen selected border routes with Niger Republic.

He noted that the Tsamiya border in Kebbi State was among the routes that had been reopened as part of the government’s border policy.

The ambassador-designate said the government could eventually reopen all the country’s land borders, but only after adequate security measures had been put in place.

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

“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,” he said.

Omokri’s comments have added to the ongoing debate over Atiku’s proposed return of fuel subsidy and reopening of Nigeria’s land borders ahead of the 2027 presidential election.