Border Security and Challenges of Human Trafficking in Nigeria in the 21st Century

Abstract

Human migration in Sub-Saharan Africa has far-reaching complex challenges such as illegal movement of small arms, human slavering, and smuggling of illicit drugs, human trafficking, armed banditry and so forth. The porous borders in Sub-Saharan Africa have remained a serious threat to human security in the region and Nigeria in particular where various forms of criminal activities have taken place due to perceived unregulated inflow and outflow of people and materials across the country’s borders. The study examined how poor border security has contributed to human trafficking in Nigeria. To achieve this objective, qualitative-descriptive method was adopted and ‘content analysis’ employed as a technique for analysis. The study found out that human migration has contributed different forms of criminal activities in Nigeria. In the light of the forgoing, the study observed that human migration in African region has led to trans-border crimes, ranging from armed banditry to human trafficking with colossal security implications in Nigeria. The study recommended that Nigerian government should engage in professional training of border security agencies as well as employ modern technologies in dictating illegal movement of persons and materials across the country’s borders. To effectively achieve this, there should be a renewed strong cooperation and collaboration of Nigerian government with other neighbouring countries such as Benin, Niger, Chad and Cameroun regarding provision of border infrastructures.