Ribadu and Akpabio call for modern tech solutions to boost border control and curb rising unrest.

Nuhu Ribadu, the National Security Adviser, and Godswill Akpabio, the President of the Senate, have called for the utilisation of modern technology and enhanced regional cooperation to bolster Nigeria's border security framework and tackle the escalating security threats nationwide, during the 15th National Security Seminar in Abuja on Tuesday.

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Represented by Yazid Gbemudu, the Director of Policy and Strategy at the Office of the National Security Adviser, Ribadu underscored the significance of Nigeria's territorial integrity and national stability, which are closely linked to the effectiveness of its border security framework.

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Ribadu noted that while Nigeria's extensive land and maritime borders facilitate trade, regional integration, and socio-economic development, they also expose the country to numerous threats, including terrorism, arms trafficking, smuggling, human trafficking, irregular migration, and other forms of transnational organised crime.

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According to Ribadu, weak border governance creates vulnerabilities that can be exploited by criminal and terrorist networks, thereby undermining national security and development efforts, and a major pillar of Nigeria's contemporary border security framework is the National Border Management Strategy.

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The strategy promotes an integrated border management approach, seeking to enhance intelligence collaboration, strengthen border infrastructure, improve surveillance capabilities, and modernise border management processes, Ribadu explained, adding that the deployment of Border Management Information Systems and other technological solutions has improved data collection, traveller screening, and migration monitoring.

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Ribadu stressed the need for the full implementation of an integrated border management system to improve coordination among security, intelligence, and law enforcement agencies, and also advocated for increased investment in technology-driven border security solutions, including expanding surveillance systems across land, maritime, and coastal borders.

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Modern challenges require modern solutions, including biometric identification systems, advanced border monitoring technologies, and data-driven security frameworks, Ribadu stated, while also emphasising the importance of regional and bilateral cooperation to address transnational security challenges.

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Ribadu further called for greater investment in border communities through sustainable development, improved infrastructure, and economic opportunities to reduce their vulnerability to criminal exploitation, and noted that strengthening Nigeria's border security architecture is fundamental to ensuring national stability, protecting territorial integrity, and promoting socio-economic development.

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However, Ribadu acknowledged challenges such as porous borders, inadequate infrastructure, limited technological capabilities, and gaps in inter-agency coordination, which require urgent attention, and stated that border security is a shared responsibility that requires the collective efforts of security agencies, government institutions, border communities, and international partners.

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Godswill Akpabio, represented by Senator Ahmed Lawan, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Defence, said Nigeria's extensive land and maritime boundaries pose significant security challenges, including border control, illegal migration, arms trafficking, smuggling, and the infiltration of criminal and extremist elements.

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Akpabio stressed that Nigeria must prioritise the strengthening of its border security architecture through improved surveillance, enhanced infrastructure, better inter-agency coordination, technological innovation, and stronger regional cooperation, and noted that many of the security threats confronting Nigeria have transnational dimensions, making coordinated responses essential.

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Akpabio also stated that peace and security remain prerequisites for meaningful national development, and porous and poorly managed borders can become vulnerabilities that undermine national security efforts and national stability, advocating a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to addressing insecurity.

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According to Akpabio, government institutions, security agencies, civil society organisations, the private sector, traditional institutions, the media, and academia all have critical roles to play in safeguarding the country, and earlier, Commodore Amatare Kpou, the Acting President of AANDEC, described the seminar as a key platform for promoting informed discourse on national security challenges and opportunities.

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Kpou expressed confidence that the deliberations would generate useful recommendations for policymakers and contribute to efforts aimed at building a safer and more secure Nigeria, with the theme of the seminar, "Strengthening Nigeria's Border Security Architecture for National Stability," being timely, given the growing threats of irregular migration, smuggling, trafficking, and other cross-border crimes.

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Nigeria shares over 4,000 kilometres of land borders with neighbouring countries and an extensive coastline, making border security a critical component of national security, and authorities have repeatedly identified porous borders as channels for terrorism, arms smuggling, human trafficking, and other transnational crimes.

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The Federal Government has in recent years intensified efforts to strengthen border management through technology, intelligence sharing, and regional cooperation, aiming to address the security challenges posed by Nigeria's extensive borders.