For efficient enforcement, the federal government has promoted community collaboration throughout the vast territorial borders' length.
At a one-day workshop on the creation of the National Consultative Forum for Chairmen of State Boundary Committees of Border States in Nigeria and Border Management Agencies, Adamu Adaji, Director-General of the National Boundary Commission (NBC), made the request in Abuja.
The National Boundary Commission organised the workshop with the theme "Converting Borders from Barriers of Separation to Bridges of Cooperation and Regional Integration" (NBC).
Adaji stated in his speech that Nigeria has a land border that is roughly 4500 km long and a maritime border that is about 850 km long.
“It is a fact that providing effective policing across the long stretch of the expansive territorial borders would require not only the commitment of the combined security operatives but also the support of the border communities.
“The National Consultative Forum is the first of its kind and without fear of contradiction, would be a veritable platform for regular engagement between state authorities and national structure responsible for border management and regional authorities in proximate countries.
“However, the engagement with your counterparts in the neighbouring countries would no doubt assist in cross-border development initiatives that would proffer the spot solution to some rising security challenges along the borders.
“As envisaged, the establishment of the forum would be followed by the establishment of a similar platform for the traditional and local authorities at the grassroots levels who would be directly responsible for translating the decisions of the Chairmen and Deputy Governors’ Forum into concrete actions.
“The formal cross border interaction between the local authorities and border communities across the borders would no doubt give the border communities a sense of belonging and alleviate our fears of turning the borders regions into ungoverned spaces and safe haven for terrorists and other transitional organised crimes regions,” Adaji said.