The House of Representatives has raised significant concern over the alarming state of Nigeria’s border security, revealing that a staggering 1,894 out of the country’s 1,978 official entry points remain unmanned.
This situation, lawmakers warned, has left the nation dangerously exposed to criminal activities.
The alarm was sounded on Tuesday in Abuja by Isa Anka, Chairman of the House Ad-Hoc Committee on Border Security, during the committee’s inauguration.
He warned that the country was increasingly vulnerable to illegal arms proliferation, human trafficking, and drug smuggling due to its porous borders.
Citing a recent Research Gate report, Anka disclosed that only 84 entry points were officially manned by security personnel across Nigeria’s estimated 36,450 kilometres of land and maritime borders. He described this figure as “disturbingly low” for a country of Nigeria’s size and security challenges.
Anka further detailed the scale of the challenge by stating, “Nigeria is a vast country that spans 923,768 square kilometres, sharing borders with Benin to the west, Niger and Chad to the north, and Cameroon to the east. In recent years, we have witnessed a disturbing rise in illegal cross-border activities such as arms smuggling, human and drug trafficking, which threaten our national security.”
He identified several factors contributing to the weak border control, including inadequate funding, obsolete surveillance equipment, a shortage of personnel, and challenging terrains such as forests, rivers, deserts, and mountains.
Despite the Federal Government spending over N9 trillion on security in recent years, Anka noted that the expected improvement in national security has not been achieved.
He emphatically stated, “This is a disturbing statistic that clearly exposes a major gap in our national defence system. Securing our borders is not just about preventing crime, it is about safeguarding our sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the lives of every Nigerian.”
He assured the committee’s commitment to developing practical strategies and policy recommendations to tackle the challenges of border insecurity and reduce illegal cross-border activities to the barest minimum.
The gravity of the committee’s assignment was underscored by the Speaker of the House, Abbas Tajudeen, who described Nigeria’s porous borders as both “an economic and existential threat.”
He urged the committee to strengthen the country’s border security framework through collaboration, transparency, and patriotism among relevant agencies. Abbas also stressed the critical need for a unified operational approach, intelligence sharing, and community involvement in securing border areas.
He concluded his remarks by adding, “This inaugural session is not a mere formality. It is a solemn call to national duty. Together, let us build stronger borders, enhance our national security, and secure the future of our great nation.”
