Chief of Defence Staff Opines Fencing Nation’s Borders Panacea to Checking Insecurity

In a bid to curb the growing insecurity in the country, Nigeria’s Defence Chief of Staff, General Christopher Musa, has called for the complete fencing of the country’s borders with its four neighbours.

The proposal, made at a security conference in the capital Abuja, aims to prevent the entrance of armed groups and restore peace in the region.

General Musa cited successful precedents in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, where the construction of fences along their borders with Afghanistan and Iraq, respectively, has led to a significant reduction in insecurity. “Border management is very critical,” he emphasized.

“I’ve had countries, because of the level of insecurity they had, they had to fence their borders. Pakistan fenced 1,350 kilometers of border with Afghanistan, and that was the only time they had peace. Saudi Arabia and Iraq, 1,400 kilometers fenced completely.”

Nigeria shares borders with four countries: Niger Republic, Cameroon, Chad, and Benin. The country’s porous borders have been exploited by armed groups, including Islamist militant group Boko Haram and its offshoot Islamic State West Africa Province, which have been wreaking havoc in the northeast region for 16 years.

The insurgency has resulted in the deaths of thousands of people, displacement of tens of thousands, and a significant strain on the country’s military.

General Musa warned that the security situation in the Sahel region, which includes Nigeria, is “heating up” and that the country needs to take proactive measures to secure its borders.

“If we don’t do anything, when the Sahel falls, it is Nigeria that everybody’s interested in. Because they believe Nigeria is huge, Nigeria is big, Nigeria is rich. And that is what we should start thinking about. How do we secure fully and take control of our borders? It is critical for our survival. It is critical for our sovereignty,” he said.

The proposal to fence Nigeria’s borders is seen as a drastic measure to address the country’s security challenges.

However, it remains to be seen whether the government will implement the plan, which would require significant resources and infrastructure development. Nevertheless, General Musa’s call to action highlights the urgent need for Nigeria to rethink its border management strategies and take bold steps to protect its citizens and sovereignty.