By Daniel Otera
A claim making the rounds on Facebook alleges that Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, has called for the full closure of Nigeria’s land borders in an effort to stop jihadist attacks. The post suggests that this is the first time a high-ranking military official has publicly backed such a hardline border measure.
Given the significance of such a statement especially in a country grappling with over 16 years of insurgency in its Northeast region Grassroots Check subjected the claim to close scrutiny.
To verify the authenticity of the statement, Grassroots Check conducted a multi-layered search across mainstream media platforms, official defence communications, and recent public engagements involving General Musa. We reviewed several credible news reports and monitored statements from the Defence Headquarters to determine whether the general made any such call.
Contrary to the viral post, General Musa did not call for a full closure of Nigeria’s land borders. Rather, he proposed a different though equally ambitious border security strategy.
During a security conference held in Abuja on 3 June 2025, the Defence Chief advocated for the fencing of Nigeria’s borders as a measure to curb insecurity and stem the tide of arms proliferation and cross-border terrorism.
He stated, “We must completely fence our borders. We saw what Saudi Arabia did, we saw what Pakistan did. Nigeria must do same to protect our nation.”
His remarks were widely reported by reputable news outlets, including Reuters, which quoted him as recommending the complete fencing of Nigeria’s borders with neighbouring countries such as Niger, Chad, Cameroon, and the Benin Republic. Nowhere in his comments did the general suggest a shutdown of the land borders or endorse a total halt to cross-border trade or movement.
Grassroots Check also found that the phrasing of the claim suggesting this was the first time a senior military official had supported a strict border measure was partially misleading. While it is accurate that General Musa’s call for full border fencing marks a shift in the language of military-led security proposals, it is not the first time a high-level figure has publicly advocated firm border control.
In August 2019, the administration of then-President Muhammadu Buhari ordered a partial closure of Nigeria’s land borders, beginning with the Seme crossing at the Benin Republic. The closure, which was later extended to other land routes, aimed to curb rampant smuggling and bolster domestic food production.
The move was civilian-led and implemented through the Nigeria Customs Service and the Nigeria Immigration Service. At the time, presidential spokesperson Garba Shehu said the closure would “enable the government to assess and redesign border control strategies.”
This context underscores that firm border enforcement is not a new idea, although Musa’s proposal is notable for calling specifically for the physical fencing of Nigeria’s borders with countries such as Cameroon, Niger, Chad, and Benin. Speaking again at the Abuja forum in June 2025, he reiterated, “We must completely fence our borders. We saw what Saudi Arabia did, we saw what Pakistan did. Nigeria must do same to protect our nation.”
It is important to note that fencing and closure are not synonymous. Fencing refers to the construction of physical barriers to regulate and monitor movement, while closure implies a complete stoppage of legal border crossings, often with severe economic and diplomatic consequences.
By conflating the two, the viral post significantly distorts the nature of the Defence Chief’s proposal, misleading the public into believing that he advocated an extreme measure not actually mentioned.
Grassroots Check finds no evidence in public records or reputable journalism to support the claim that General Musa called for Nigeria’s land borders to be fully closed.
VERDICT: MISLEADING
In conclusion, the claim that General Christopher Musa advocated for a complete shutdown of Nigeria’s land borders to prevent jihadist attacks is false.
