Nigerian Defence Force’ Chief, General Christopher Musa, has proposed a complete fence on the country’s borders with four neighbouring countries as a strategic response to rising insecurity and infiltration by armed groups.
Speaking at a security summit in Abuja on Tuesday, General Musa stressed the urgent need to improve border control, citing examples such as Pakistan’s 1,350-kilometre fence with Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia’s 1,400-kilometre barrier with Iraq as effective deterrents against cross-border threats.
“Border management is very critical,” he said. “Other countries have been forced to fence their borders because of the level of insecurity they face. It is time we consider the same.”
The general’s comments mark the first public proposal by a senior Nigerian official to advocate for a full border fence amid ongoing security challenges posed by terrorism, banditry and arms trafficking.
Nigeria shares porous land borders with Niger, Cameroon, Chad and Benin, which are grappling with increasing militant activity in the Sahel region. The 1,975-kilometre northeastern border with Cameroon remains a hub for Boko Haram and other rebel militants’ activities.
General Musa stressed that Nigeria’s regional importance and economic position make it a prime target for external threats. “Everyone’s interest is in Nigeria. So we need to fully secure and control our borders,” he warned. “It is critical to our survival and sovereignty.”
The call comes amid ongoing insurgent attacks, including recent attacks on military posts that authorities often attribute to fighters crossing from neighbouring regions. Nigerian security forces are struggling amid a 16-year insurgency in the northeast and rising instability elsewhere.
Analysts say implementing a comprehensive border fence would require significant investment and international cooperation, but could signal a major shift in Nigeria’s approach to national security.