Recently, the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) disclosed that there were almost 1, 500 illegal routes on the nation’s land borders. The minister of interior, Abba Moro, had, while responding to questions on the porous nature of the borders, stated that his ministry had identified 1, 497 illegal routes into Nigeria and that efforts were on to ensure that these routes were closed.
In view of the nation’s current security challenges, the existence of these illegal routes is a worrisome development. Nigeria has, in the last three weeks, caught the attention of the world as a result of the abduction of over 270 schoolgirls by Boko Haram terrorists. This horrifying act was allegedly perpetrated in an area close to Nigeria’s borders with Cameroun and Chad where this group operates with impunity.
If NIS had been alive to its responsibilities, this would not have occurred in the manner it did. Now, the entire nation is paying the price of its inefficiency. A critical inquiry into how the nation got it wrong is imperative at this point. Within the last one decade, Nigeria is reported to have spent more than 25 per cent of its gross domestic product (GDP) on security. This has been shared among the military, the police, members of the intelligence community, the various intelligence branches of the arms of the military, the Nigeria Customs Service, the NIS and even the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps. Yet the nation is going through one of the most difficult periods in its chequered history.
One of the easiest and surest ways to secure the nation is to ensure that the borders are well protected and all illegal entry points closed. But that is not the case now, in spite of the huge financial and human resources invested on border control. With the current security threats, everyone agrees that the nation is paying a great price for its laxity. Taking advantage of this unfortunate scenario, Boko Haram has taken control of some parts of the north-east of Nigeria, especially Borno and Yobe states. This is also compounded by the fact that all manner of military hardware and small arms get into the country unchecked.
It is time the nation overhauled completely its security apparatus beginning with the NIS. The agency, which has a major role to play in this, has, so far, failed abysmally. Other segments of the nation’s security apparatus must equally sit up to ensure that these illegal routes are plugged and new ones discouraged from springing up.
