GASPRO International Journal of Eminent Scholars

ABSTRACT

Security challenges in Nigeria have reached an all-time high, with the government confronted with multiple security challenges, notably the Boko Haram Islamist insurgency, armed banditry, farmers-herders clash, the Niger Delta Militancy, piracy, kidnapping, etc. Among the many causes of these security challenges is the porosity of the Nigerian borderline and cross-border security challenges. This has aided crime and security challenges across Nigeria. Some of the pertinent questions raised in the paper are: do the agencies responsible for securing our borders have the proper technological infrastructure in place for the purpose of surveillance and detection of potential threats or contraband items? Do they have technological means of recognizing and stopping illegal immigration? If properly harnessed, engineering technology will play a critical role in strengthening Nigeria’s national security. The use of intelligent monitoring systems, data mining and database tracking systems, and information sharing will greatly improve the ability of the security agencies to combat security challenges in Nigeria. As a recommendation for securing Nigeria’s border, the government should invest more in our boarder control and management sector, especially in the purchase of state-of-the-art equipment, thereby promoting national security.

KEYWORDS: Border, Security agencies, Border control, National security, Nigeria