Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, has identified porous borders as a major reason for Nigeria’s escalating insecurity.
Musa further stated that the government is exploring technology-based solutions and community engagement to curb illegal crossings.
In an interview with the BBC, Musa explained that terrorists, kidnappers, and bandits exploit unmonitored border areas to operate freely across Nigeria.
“Porous borders are one of the main reasons for insecurity in Nigeria,” he said.
While acknowledging that constructing a physical wall along Nigeria’s more than 4,000 kilometres of land borders may not be feasible, Musa emphasised that technology can help monitor movements and trigger alarms when illegal crossings occur.
“Maybe we cannot have physical walls everywhere, but there is technology we can deploy systematically. Once someone crosses, an alarm is triggered and we take action,” he explained.
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He also highlighted the importance of involving local communities in border security, urging residents to avoid supporting terrorists. “We need to create awareness and communicate with communities so they do not support terrorists in any way,” Musa said.
The minister noted that other countries with even longer borders have successfully implemented similar security measures.
Musa’s comments follow recent mass abductions in Niger, Kebbi, and Kwara states toward the end of 2025.
He also referenced US airstrikes on suspected hideouts of the Lakurawa terrorist group in Sokoto on Christmas Day, saying the action forced the group to retreat into Niger Republic.
Rejecting claims that the government pays ransom to bandits, Musa said, “We do not approve ransom payments for any reason,” and added that many kidnappers release captives when cornered by the military.
On allegations by US President Donald Trump that Christians are being persecuted in Nigeria, Musa dismissed the claims, stressing that violence affects all citizens regardless of religion.
“Nigerians are being killed. That is the bottom line,” he said. “Our focus is to stop the killings, whoever the perpetrators or victims are.”
