Nigeria seeks tighter border checks while preserving ECOWAS free movement

Nigeria is seeking to preserve movement under the ECOWAS framework while strengthening controls over people crossing its borders, National Boundary Commission Director-General Adamu Adaji has said. In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja, Adaji said the right to free movement should not prevent authorities from knowing who enters or leaves the country. He said travellers should be properly profiled and documented, including their identities and reasons for entering Nigeria.

The ECOWAS Protocol permits the movement of goods and people, he said, but border agencies remain responsible for monitoring activity within Nigeria’s territorial limits. Security agencies operating along border corridors should therefore improve their oversight so that lawful travel does not create opportunities for criminal activity. Adaji identified terrorism, kidnapping and arms smuggling among the security concerns linked to Nigeria’s border areas.

He also described illegal routes as a continuing challenge and urged authorities to identify and profile people who use them. He called for efforts to reduce, minimise and ultimately eliminate illegal crossings through improved surveillance and closer cooperation among government agencies. Technology, including surveillance systems and cameras, should be used to monitor difficult areas, he said.

Adaji also pointed to the Cross-Border Cooperation Platform promoted by Nigeria. The platform is intended to improve understanding, information sharing and intelligence exchanges with neighbouring countries, enabling them to work together to secure their territories. Border communities should receive infrastructure and support so they can report activities that threaten security and maintain a stronger sense of belonging, he said.

Adaji added that effective border management should support security, trade and lawful migration, with clearly defined boundaries allowing agencies to monitor activity without unnecessarily restricting legitimate cross-border movement.