Rethinking Security Operations at the Nigerian Borders: The Role of the Nigerian Immigration and Customs Services.

Abstract

 “A border is not a war zone; it is a place where law enforcement agents must respect the human rights of migrants and victims of trafficking: A safe border is a safe nation” (Babandede, 2019). This comment by the Comptroller General of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), Muhammad Babandede, must have been informed by the increasing relevance of the NIS and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to managing and securing the Nigerian borders. Border security management has been threatened globally due to the increasing importance of transnational actors, as well as advancement in technology that has enabled the increased influx of goods, peoples, and ideas across international boundaries. This is not without implications for the developing countries, especially Africa, that is characterized by poorly demarcated and porous borders. A nation's border security agencies must, therefore, be prepared and well equipped; to address many salient issues in the border security management. This study employs both primary and secondary sources of data collection for critical analysis of the subject matter before arriving at conclusions. Recommendations were also made to mitigate the challenges observed in the study.