Fact-Check: Did President Tinubu Reopen Idiroko’s Border
Claims: A video trending on Social Media gave an impression that the newly inaugurated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had instructed the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) to re-open the Idiroko border for import and export of goods and services.
Full Text: In the video, some NCS officers were sighted allegedly opening the Idiroko border.
“123 our border is open,” a background conversation from non-customs officers could be heard. Some speaking in Yoruba language saying, “It pained me I don’t have camera, I would have snapped and do the video, atlas our border is finally opened”
Verification: In order to verify the authenticity of the trending video, PRNigeria reached out to the customs spokesperson, Abubakar Maiwada who confirmed via telephone chat that Nigeria presently ‘has no closed border.’
According to him, all the borders have been opened months ago to allow exports and imports.
“All our major borders are open. The video showing the Idiroko border opening is a very old video that a mischief maker just repackaged to create a wrong narrative,” he explained.
Meanwhile, the Area Controller of NCS in Ogun State, Mr Bamidele Makinde also dismissed the viral video.
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While addressing the newsmen in Abeokuta, Makinde stated that the Idiroko Border had been reopened for import and export business since 2022. This was reported by other media platforms such as Punch, Daily Trust, Eagle Online among others.
Since May 2015 to May 29, 2023, Muhammadu Buhari was President before the emergence of Bola Tinubu as the country’s leader.
Further fact-checks by PRNigeria indicate that the video emerged from close platforms such as WhatsApp and Telegram rather than from conventional media.
Conclusion: Based on facts gathered by PRNigeria, Nigerian borders have been open several months ago during the previous administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
PRNigeria therefore concludes that the trending video online claiming that the recently inaugurated government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had reopened Idiroko Border is MISLEADING
By PRNigeria
