Globalization and Nigeria Border Security: Issues and Challenges.

Abstract

This paper examines the security challenges in Nigeria and its borders in the era of globalization. This has become necessary in view of the border incursions posing security threat at our national borders as well as their activities of the terrorist group known as Boko Haram in which lives and property are no longer secure. Examples are not far-fetched from bombing here and there in which many lives were lost, such as the United Nations building in Nigeria, the Chief Security office in Nigeria, Churches in the northern part of Nigeria and many more. These are the manifestations of security challenges in Nigeria. There are speculations that the groups must have found their way through our porous borders. The paper also examines the globalization process which calls for border to be increasingly open with little or no barriers, as the negative part of the globalization has brought about contrabands, criminals, illegal migrants and terrorist and the relevant efforts to develop measures to manage the security threats and other crimes associated with borders from destroying the integration process of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Therefore, the paper addresses the implications of globalization on national security and suggests for a new paradigm shift from traditional approaches to combat new security threats that comes with globalization as all efforts put in place to curb these incursions at the borders have not yielded a positive result. Beyond this, the paper contends that the insecurity at the border spread to the internal security of lives and property and the need to embark on more protective measures in order for borders as well as people therein to be adequately secured because openness without adequate controls tend to make crimes at the borders including terrorism to be successful. The study concludes that Nigeria borders are porous; hence the environment is not safe.

Keywords: National Security, Borders, Globalization, Boko Haram