Border Porosity and the Perennial Challenges of Nigeria Borders and Frontier Security

Abstract

This study seeks to highlight the challenges in Nigeria’s international borderlines. The
greatest challenge facing Nigeria today is international terrorism that is aided by
religious extremism, the porosity of borderline and cross-border security challenges,
and crime. Indeed, the existence of porous borders and cross-border and frontier
activities in Nigeria has aided crimes and security challenges across Nigerian borders
for a long without specific solutions. The problem of security as a result of these porous
borders in Nigeria has become one of the most intractable challenges facing the country
today. In recent times, the security challenges in Nigeria and its border crime are
alarming, especially, the activities of the terrorist group known as “Boko Haram’’ in
which lives and property are no longer secure. There are many speculations that the
groups may have found their way through the porous borders. Therefore, the study
probes into the nature of Nigeria borders using the analytical framework of assessment
in the emerging trans-border crimes, and the causes and sources of insecurity of lives
and property in Nigeria. The paper then revealed that the major criminal activities of
Nigeria's serial borders are smuggling of contraband goods and illegal immigrants,
trafficking in weapons and human parts, drug trafficking, vehicle crime, trafficking of
illegally exploited natural resources, including the illicit trade in timber, oil, and
diamond among others. The paper then suggests that much of the conventional wisdom
regarding how best to address Nigeria's border crime and security is not only enacting
a law but also creating proper national security awareness, involvement of new
stakeholders in the security sector, and a strong institutional framework to checkmate
the activities of trans-border crime.