Nigeria’s Border Challenge: FG, States, Traditional Leaders Unite Against Cross-Border Crimes
Dr. Nafisat Makinɗe, Abuja
Stakeholders from Nigeria’s security agencies, governments and traditional institutions on Monday gathered in Abuja to address growing threats along the country’s 4,454-kilometre land borders, calling for stronger cooperation to combat cross-border crimes, irregular migration and arms smuggling.
The meeting took place at a one-day national workshop on “Border Security, Resilience and Cross-Border Cooperation” organised by the National Boundary Commission (NBC).
Representing the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (rtd), the Special Adviser to the Minister, Rear Admiral Olusanya Bankole (rtd), said effective border management remains essential to national security and economic stability.
He said Nigeria’s borders serve as strategic spaces for trade, cultural exchange and social interaction, but warned they have increasingly become vulnerable to criminal networks involved in trafficking, smuggling and other transnational crimes.
Bankole said Nigeria must move beyond conventional security approaches and adopt proactive systems that include early warning mechanisms, technology-driven surveillance and stronger intelligence sharing with neighbouring countries.
He also emphasized the growing importance of drone technology and other digital tools in improving border surveillance and operational response.
According to him, “Resilient borders are not only secured; they are adaptive, inclusive and capable of withstanding security threats, climate change and economic disruptions.”
The Director-General of the National Boundary Commission, Surveyor Adamu Adaji, said Nigeria shares about 4,454 kilometres of land borders with Benin, Niger, Chad and Cameroon, as well as an 853-kilometre coastline, making border security a complex national responsibility.
Adaji said border areas should not only be seen as security flashpoints but also as opportunities for economic growth and regional integration.
“Borders are not just lines of separation; they are critical frontiers of cooperation, stability and national prosperity,” he said.
He explained that the commission has established cross-border cooperation platforms involving border communities, traditional rulers, security agencies and local authorities to improve dialogue, information sharing and conflict prevention.
Adaji said the initiative aligns with the African Union framework on cross-border cooperation and called for a shift toward more coordinated and forward-looking strategies.
“We must move beyond reactive measures and embrace coordinated, forward-looking approaches that integrate security, governance and socio-economic inclusion,” he said.
The workshop featured presentations on maritime governance, the blue economy, drone technology, border resilience and peacebuilding as tools for strengthening national security.
The Commandant of the National Defence College, Rear Admiral Abdullahi Ahmed, said no country can effectively manage border security alone, noting that modern threats transcend national boundaries.
He called for stronger regional cooperation, intelligence sharing and joint responses among neighbouring states.
Deputy governors and chairmen of State Boundary Committees from border states commended the National Boundary Commission and pledged greater collaboration in tackling cross-border crimes.
Traditional rulers from border communities, led by the Emir of Machina, Alhaji (Dr.) Bashir, urged government to deepen engagement with traditional institutions.
He described traditional rulers as key partners in grassroots security.
“Traditional rulers are the first eyes and ears of border communities and should be involved as partners in security coordination rather than mere spectators,” he said.
Participants at the workshop reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s border security architecture through collaboration, technology and intelligence sharing aimed at promoting peace, security and economic development.