In a move aimed at developing a plan to prevent the infiltration of armed groups and reduce their repeated attacks in Nigeria, Army Chief of Staff, General Christopher Moussa, suggested establishing a security fence along the country’s borders with neighboring countries.
In a speech delivered at a press conference held in the capital, Abuja, the Army Chief of Staff said that the active border administration has become a national priority, in light of the increasing security challenges in the region.
General Moussa said that “the insecurity and terrorist challenges prompted some countries to establish a border fence on its soil, and today we are facing a similar situation.”
The military commander set an example of the fence that Pakistan set up on its borders with Afghanistan, which is 1350 km, as well as the wall that Saudi Arabia set up in its borders with Iraq with a length of 1400 km.
This proposal is the first public invitation from a senior Nigerian military official to establish a comprehensive border fence with neighboring countries.
Nigeria borders 4 countries: Niger, Chad, Cameroon, and Benin, all of which are growing in the activity of armed groups, and the Nigerian government often holds responsibility for the continued attacks in the north of the country to infiltrate foreign fighters across the borders of these countries.
Wide and inflamed boundaries
Nigeria is located on wide borders with 4 countries that are witnessing an intense activity of armed groups, in addition to the movements that declare itself “jihadist” and seek to establish a separate state within the state of Nigeria.
Nigeria and Cameroon combine land borders in the northeast of 1975 km, and a hot contact point in the conflict with the Boko Haram group is formed.
Nigeria also shares limits with Niger up to 1500 km, and another with Chad with 85 km, two countries in which Boko Haram, and the support of Islam and Muslims, in addition to borders with Benin, which recently witnessed multiple attacks adopted by armed groups stationed in Niger and Burkina Faso.
General Moussa said that the wealth that Nigeria abounds makes it a target for armed groups, and that it is sovereignty standing in the face of extremists and securing the country.
