Are Borders a Burden? Debates and Counter-Narratives on Nigeria’s National Security

Abstract

Nigeria is in a security quandary. The country’s security debacles are impacting its socio-economic and political landscapes. Aside from the protracted Boko Haram terrorism, banditry and kidnapping have taken on momentary dimensions in the country. Many studies have attributed this menace to the porous and ill-manned status of Nigerian borders, which lend ambience to unwholesome intrusions and thus render the borders a national burden. This study unpacks the state of Nigeria’s borders vis-à-vis the national security experiences of the country. It argues that, beyond the ‘porosity’ debates and narratives, the lingering cross-border challenges are the effects of patronage networks and internal crises that have engulfed domestic lives and state politics. It submits further that, notwithstanding the subjective colonial status and the uncoordinated management agenda of Nigeria’s borders, they have inherent geo-strategic potentials and advantages capable of transforming national lives and enhancing state security.