The Federal Government has renewed its commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s border security architecture as stakeholders called for deeper cooperation among security agencies, border communities and neighbouring countries to tackle rising transnational crimes, irregular migration and smuggling.

The commitment was made on Monday at a one-day high-level national workshop on “Border Security, Resilience and Cross Border Cooperation” organised by the National Boundary Commission (NBC) in Abuja.

Representing the Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (rtd), Special Adviser to the Minister, Rear Admiral Olusanya Bankole (rtd), said Nigeria’s borders were not merely territorial lines but critical spaces for trade, interaction and national security.

He said emerging threats required a shift from traditional border control approaches to proactive strategies driven by early warning systems, technology, intelligence sharing and stronger regional partnerships.

“Resilient borders are not only secured; they are adaptive, inclusive and capable of withstanding shocks from security threats, climate change and economic disruptions,” the Minister said.

The minister who declared the workshop open charged the participants to take the workshop seriously .

Earlier in his welcome address, the Director-General of the National Boundary Commission (NBC), Surveyor Adamu Adaji, said Nigeria shares about 4,454 kilometres of land boundaries with Benin Republic, Niger, Chad and Cameroon, alongside an 853-kilometre coastal stretch, stressing that effective border governance required collaboration among all levels of government.

Adaji said the Commission had established Local Cross-Border Cooperation Platforms to strengthen engagement between border communities, traditional rulers, security agencies and neighbouring countries.

He noted that the platforms would support intelligence gathering, conflict prevention, lawful cross-border trade and peacebuilding.

Presenting a paper titled “Strengthening Cross Border Cooperation: A Framework for Regional Security and Economic Integration,” former NBC Director-General, Dr. M.B. Ahmed advocated stronger regional cooperation, while Commodore Mohammed Shettima, Task Force Commander, Maritime Task Force, Gulf of Guinea, highlighted the importance of maritime governance and the blue economy.

The Director-General of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, Dr. Joseph Ochogwu, also examined the role of border peacebuilding in enhancing national security.

Commandant of the National Defence College, Rear Admiral Abdullahi Ahmed, in his remarks urged countries to work together, stressing that no nation could manage border crises alone.

Deputy Governors and chairmen of state boundary committees from border states including Kebbi, Benue, Bayelsa, Zamfara, Yobe and Jigawa among others pledged stronger cooperation with the Federal Government to address border challenges.

Specifically , the deputy governor of Yobe state, Hon Idi Gubana urged the federal government to involve traditional rulers towards deployment of non-kinetic approaches in resolving security challenges.

Others who spoke included the Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Prof. Ngozi Odu, and his Delta State counterpart, Monday Onyeme, among others.

Also on their part, the traditional rulers also demanded greater involvement in border management.

The Emir of Machina, Yobe State, Alhaji Bashir Bukar, representing traditional rulers along Nigeria’s international borders, said monarchs should be recognised as key communication channels because of their grassroots networks.

He urged the government to move beyond treating traditional institutions as observers, describing them as “the first eyes and ears” of border communities.

Other stakeholders who spoke at the workshops agreed that Nigeria’s borders must be transformed from security flashpoints into gateways for economic growth, regional integration and sustainable development.

The highlight of the event was the exhibition of modern border equipment such as drones technologies and books stands by the Managing Director of Epsilon unmannered system Ltd Real Admiral S.S. lassa (retd).