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From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
The House of Representatives has expressed worry that there are as many as 1,894 illegal entry routes in the country.
The Chairman, House Ad-hoc Committee on Border Security, Isa Mohammed Anka, while speaking at the inaugural meeting of the panel on Tuesday, said the development is a challenge to border security in the country.
Anka stated that, in recent years, Nigeria has witnessed an increase in various kinds of cross-border crimes, which threaten the security of the country. He added that it is alarming that despite the expenditure of about N9 trillion on security in recent years, there is no commensurate result.
According to him, “in recent years, we have witnessed an escalation in illegal cross-border activities that threatens our national security such as illegal arms smuggling, human trafficking and drug smuggling etc.
It is noteworthy, that our borders are porous, with many unofficial routes for smuggling goods. We also need to ask ourselves some of the contributing factors leading to poor border security which includes:
Inadequate Resources: Border security agencies suffer from inadequate funding, poor logistics, ineffective and outdated surveillance equipment and shortage of personnel.
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Difficult Terrain: A lot of our borders are located in difficult terrains like thick forests, distant rivers, mountains and deserts, making them tough to police effectively.
Numerous illegal entry points: A recent report from Research Gate highlighted that out of Nigeria’s 1,978 entry points only 84 are official manned by security operatives, leaving 1,894 illegal routes. This is a disturbing statistic and shows a gap in our defences.”
The lawmaker also identified the attitude of some border security officials as a setback to the effective policing of the country’s borders, noting that “it is alarming that despite significant government expenditure, which has exceeded 9 trillion naira over the past years, we are yet to attain commensurate gains in our security landscape.”
Nonetheless, he assured that the panel would come up with appropriate strategies and recommendations that will help to enhance border security.
Anka said, “the challenges are immense, but so is our resolve. By combining strategic action with a commitment to regional and community-level partnerships, we can and will reclaim control of our borders and build a more secure future for all.”
