Records available to the Nigerian immigration service, NIS show that there are over 1,497 illegal routes into Nigeria, whereas there are only 84 approved border posts covering 4,047 kilometres.
The rising wave of violence across the country has been linked to the porous nature of the borders which require strict security policies.
Nigeria as an anglophone speaking country shares international boundary with five francophone speaking countries. On the south is Cameroon and Guinea stretching 853 kilometres and 1,690 kilometres respectively while to the Northern parts are Chad and Niger republic, sharing 87 kilometres and 1,014 kilometres respectively with Nigeria. To the west is 775 kilometres with Benin republic.
These borders have proven to be a security and economic risk to Nigeria. For instance, a significant number of marine attacks carried out in the first quarter of 2021 happened in the Nigerian territorial waters in the Gulf of Guinea.
This made the gulf of guinea the most dangerous maritime zone in 2020 as attacks on oil tankers increased. Only recently, Nigeria tested arsenals of ground, air, sea vessels and equipment designed to tackle pirates operating in the gulf of guinea.
In 2015, the Nigerian immigration service arrested 25 Chinese immigrants in Lagos and Abia states. Some Nigeriens were also repatriated for not having complete permit papers.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government on April 22, 2022 approved the reopening of four land borders that were shutdown in august, 2019 to check activities of smugglers. The borders are the Idiroko border post in Ogun state, Iibiya border post in Kastina state, Kamba border post in kebbi state and lastly Ikom border post in cross river state.
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
