IIARD International Institute of Academic Research and Development

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND MANAGEMENT RESEARCH (IJSSMR )

E-ISSN 2545-5303
P-ISSN 2695-2203
VOL. 10 NO. 10 2024
DOI: 10.56201/ijssmr.v10.no10.2024.pg.230.269

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Porous borders and banditry in the North-West Zone of Nigeria

Graham Nsiegbe, Ph.D & Tony Gabriel

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Abstract

Border porousness and its attendant negative impacts on nation’s security and territorial integrity is increasingly becoming a serious concern for third world countries, especially third world countries of Africa. This review paper assesses the relationship between porous borders and banditry in the North-West zone of Nigeria. The paper is anchored on the weak state theory as its analytical foundation. The historical descriptive approach was adopted as a design for generating and analyzing data for the paper. As such the paper relied mainly on qualitative data which were gleaned from Focused Group Discussions (FGDs) and Observations. This was complimented with information gotten from secondary sources such as textbooks, journal articles and periodicals from agencies of government, as well as newspapers. Generated data were analyzed by the use of the qualitative content analysis method. The paper revealed among others; that the porosity of borders along the northwest zone of Nigeria make it possible for arms and criminal elements to be smuggled into the country; and these does not only lead to banditry but it also sustains the act of banditry in this part of the country. Accordingly, the paper recommends that there should be inter-agency collaboration, increased community engagement, regular border patrols, security re- enforcement and international cooperation in other to foster collaborative and coordinated border surveillance with the view to enhancing mutual border security.

keywords:

Borders, Banditry, Security, North West, Nigeria

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