To enhance border security and combat cross-border threats, the federal government has reaffirmed the necessity of increased cooperation between federal agencies, border states, traditional institutions, and neighboring nations.
The National Boundary Commission organized a one-day national workshop on “Border Security, Resilience and Cross-Border Cooperation” in Abuja, where the stance was highlighted.
Rear Admiral Olusanya Bankole (retd.), the Minister’s Special Advisor, spoke at the ceremony on behalf of General Christopher Musa, the Minister of Defense, and stated that efficient border control is still essential to both economic growth and national security.
He pointed out that although Nigeria’s borders are crucial for commerce, communication, and cultural exchange, they are also susceptible to international crimes, irregular migration, smuggling, and other security issues.
According to Bankole, proactive measures like early warning systems, technology-driven surveillance, and more robust intelligence-sharing channels with neighboring countries are necessary to go beyond conventional security techniques.
“Resilient borders are not only secure, but they are adaptive, inclusive, and capable of withstanding security threats, climate change, and economic disruptions,” he claims.
Adamu Adaji, the Director-General of the National Boundary Commission, had stated that coordinated action from many stakeholders is necessary for border management. He pointed out that Nigeria has roughly 853 kilometers of shoreline and 4,454 kilometers of land borders with Benin, Niger, Chad, and Cameroon.
In order to promote communication, information collecting, and conflict avoidance, Adaji stated that the commission has set up platforms for cross-border collaboration involving border communities, traditional rulers, municipal authorities, security agencies, and civil society organizations.
Presentations on drone technology, border resilience, marine governance, the blue economy, cross-border collaboration, and peacebuilding projects targeted at bolstering national security were all included in the workshop.
Noting that border-related issues cannot be successfully handled in isolation, Rear Admiral Abdullahi Ahmed, Commandant of the National Defense College, advocated for increased international cooperation.
In addition to praising the National Boundary Commission’s lobbying efforts, deputy governors and chairmen of State Boundary Committees from Nigeria’s border states promised to support programs targeted at enhancing border security and combating transboundary crimes.
The government was urged to strengthen connections with traditional institutions by traditional leaders from villages near Nigeria’s foreign borders. They urged the engagement of traditional leaders in security coordination initiatives, describing them as the border communities’ “first eyes and ears.”
Stakeholders reiterated their commitment to bolstering border security, enhancing resilience, and fostering economic activity in border towns as the session came to an end.
