Nigeria's Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, has identified the country's porous borders as a primary driver of the ongoing insecurity plaguing the nation, enabling terrorists, bandits, and kidnappers to move freely across frontiers.
In an exclusive interview with the BBC, Musa emphasized that uncontrolled border crossings are allowing criminal elements to operate with impunity, exacerbating violence in various regions.
He pointed to recent incidents, including mass abductions in states like Niger, Kebbi, and Kwara toward the end of 2025, as well as the activities of groups such as the Lakurawa terrorists, who reportedly fled to Niger Republic following U.S. airstrikes in Sokoto on Christmas Day.
“Porous borders are one of the main reasons for insecurity in Nigeria,” Musa stated firmly.The minister acknowledged the immense challenge of securing Nigeria's extensive land borders, which span over 4,000 kilometers and share frontiers with four neighboring countries. While a complete physical wall along the entire length may not be practical, he stressed that the federal government is actively exploring viable solutions.
“Maybe we cannot have physical walls everywhere, but there is technology we can deploy systematically. Once someone crosses, an alarm is triggered and we take action,” Musa explained. He cited successful examples from other nations with even longer borders that have implemented fencing and advanced surveillance to curb threats.
Beyond infrastructure, Musa highlighted the critical role of community engagement. “We need to create awareness and communicate with communities so they do not support terrorists in any way,” he said, underscoring the need for collaboration with border residents to deny safe havens to criminals.
The minister also reiterated the government's firm stance against ransom payments, noting that military operations are focused on stopping killings regardless of victims' or perpetrators' identities.
“Nigerians are being killed. That is the bottom line,” he declared. “Our focus is to stop the killings, whoever the perpetrators or victims are.”
Musa's comments come amid persistent security challenges linked to cross-border arms proliferation, instability in the Sahel region, and the free movement of armed groups.
His remarks signal a renewed push for comprehensive border management, combining technological innovation, strategic physical barriers in key areas, and grassroots cooperation to restore stability and protect lives across Nigeria.
The proposals build on earlier calls by Musa (during his time as Chief of Defence Staff) for stronger border controls, reflecting the Tinubu administration's determination to address root causes of insecurity through multi-faceted strategies.
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com