ABUJA, Nigeria — Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, has called for the fencing of the country’s borders as a critical step towards curbing insecurity and strengthening national sovereignty.
Speaking at a security conference in Abuja on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, Musa underscored the urgent need to take full control of Nigeria’s borders, citing the examples of countries like Pakistan and Saudi Arabia that have constructed physical barriers to manage threats from neighbouring conflict zones.
“Other countries, because of the level of insecurity they have, had to fence their borders,” Musa said.
“It is Nigeria that everybody is interested in. That is why we need to secure fully and take control of our borders. It is critical for our survival and sovereignty.”
Nigeria, which shares borders with Niger Republic, Cameroon, Benin, and Chad, has long struggled with porous entry points, often blamed for facilitating the movement of insurgents, arms, and illegal goods.
Many of these neighbouring countries are facing their own internal security challenges, raising fears of cross-border spillover effects.
Musa highlighted the country’s wealth and natural resources as a major draw for insurgent groups, warning that Nigeria’s inability to enforce border control leaves it increasingly vulnerable to external threats.
His comments come amid renewed concerns over border security, particularly in the north-eastern region, where militants linked to Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have continued to launch attacks despite military offensives.
