The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun has tasked Commanders of the Nigeria Police Border Patrol Section to renew their commitment to safeguarding the nation’s territorial integrity and combating cross-border crimes.
Speaking at the Conference of Commanders of Border Patrol Bases held in Abuja, the IGP emphasized that Nigeria’s borders, stretching over 4,000 kilometers of land and maritime corridors, remain critical to national security, trade, and stability. He warned that their porosity has long been exploited by criminals for arms smuggling, drug trafficking, contraband trade, terrorism, and human trafficking.
“Our borders are Nigeria’s doors. If they are weak, every danger walks in freely. You are the guardians of those doors and the sentinels at the edges of our sovereignty,” he declared.
Egbetokun cited recent successes, including the interception of a shipping container from Turkey carrying over 800 rifles and 100,000 rounds of ammunition, as proof of what intelligence, vigilance, and inter-agency collaboration can achieve. He stressed that policing can no longer be reactive, urging officers to embrace modern technology such as drones, biometric scanners, surveillance systems, and data analysis to match the sophistication of transnational criminal networks.
The IGP also highlighted the importance of intelligence gathering, community trust, and seamless collaboration with the Customs Service, Immigration, Armed Forces, and international partners including ECOWAS, the African Union, INTERPOL, and the UNODC.
On welfare, Egbetokun assured officers that their sacrifices would not go unnoticed, pledging continuous efforts to improve mobility assets, housing, insurance, and general welfare support. He also honored fallen officers who had paid the ultimate price in defending Nigeria’s borders.
In a directive to all Commanders, the Police Chief ordered the submission of monthly reports detailing arms seizures, narcotics interceptions, human trafficking rescues, and other notable operations, warning that failure to account for activities would be treated as dereliction of duty.
He concluded with a charge: “Every patrol you order, every checkpoint you strengthen, and every network you dismantle must show the world that Nigeria’s borders are defended. Let history record that the Border Patrol Section stood firm when Nigeria needed them most.”
