Cross-Border Crimes: Experts Urge Stronger Control, Community Trust-Building in Northern Nigeria

By: Michael Mike

As insecurity continues to escalate across the Sokoto–Zamfara–Katsina axis, security experts and stakeholders have called for urgent measures to strengthen border control, enhance government commitment, and deepen collaboration among civil society organisations (CSOs), security agencies, and local communities in tackling cross-border crimes.

The call was made on Tuesday during a national deliberative session organised by the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP) and the Research and Action for Peace (REcAP) Project, in collaboration with the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) and the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), with funding support from the European Union. The theme of the session was: “Curbing Cross-Border Crimes in the Sokoto–Zamfara–Katsina Axis of the Nigeria–Niger Borderlands through Strengthened Stakeholders’ Partnership and Collaboration.”

Speaking at the session, Francis Onyekwue, National Coordinator of the Trauma Awareness and Resilience Initiative, identified the legacy of colonial border demarcations as a significant root cause of persistent security challenges in the region.

“The borders were drawn by colonial masters without regard for ethnic and linguistic realities. For example, Hausa is spoken across both sides of the Nigeria–Niger border, yet porous borders have facilitated arms smuggling, especially from the Sahel region and the Libyan crisis,” he said.

Onyekwue urged the government to move beyond symbolic border posts and adopt technology-driven surveillance and effective patrol systems. He also stressed the role of climate change in aggravating insecurity, noting that shrinking grazing land has pushed pastoralists into new territories and intensified clashes over resources.

“Countries like Libya and Burkina Faso have invested in greening dry lands to reduce migration pressures. What stops Nigeria from doing the same in the North?” he queried.

Presenting a working paper titled “Calculating Cross-Border Crimes in the So-Called Borders and the Axes of the Nigeria–Niger Border through Strengthened Stakeholders’ Partnership and Collaboration,” Dr. Abubakar Suma’ila of Usman Danfodiyo University traced the historical importance of the Sokoto–Zamfara–Katsina axis as a pre-colonial hub linking Sahel trade and culture. He noted that while colonial-era partition weakened these systems, post-colonial states have failed to sustain effective border management.

According to him, cross-border crimes have evolved significantly: “Armed groups now target civilians more than government forces, with criminal networks linked to arms smuggling and banditry spreading across communities. The ethnicization of this conflict is a dangerous myth. Evidence shows that many criminal actors operate irrespective of ethnic lines.”

Suma’ila called for coordinated intelligence-sharing, robust community engagement, and multi-stakeholder partnerships to address the complexity of emerging threats.

Also speaking, Kumah L.J., Assistant Comptroller of Customs, emphasised building trust with border communities as a critical step toward improving security.

“Cross-border insecurity is a national issue and cannot be solved overnight. Security personnel must work closely with local communities to gather frontline intelligence beyond surface-level information. Agencies must collaborate and share intelligence for effective operations,” he stated.

Manji Mangrock, Programme Manager at WANEP Abuja, highlighted the complementary role of CSOs in peacebuilding and security.

“Our work focuses on peace education, good governance, and conflict documentation. CSOs provide raw data and advocacy support to security agencies. What is needed now is a stronger partnership and coordination to avoid duplication of efforts and maximise impact.”

Similarly, Jennifer Alaeda, Principal Relief Officer at the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), underscored the importance of youth inclusion in countering insecurity. She called for education, advocacy, and mentorship programs to break the cycle of violence while urging research institutions to share challenges and lessons to strengthen collective responses.

Cross-Border Crimes: Experts Urge Stronger Control, Community Trust-Building in Northern Nigeria

Canada Commits $15.75 million to Empower Nigerian Women Through ActionAid’s Renewed Leadership Project

By: Michael Mike

The Government of Canada has pledged to support the second phase of the Women’s Voice and Leadership Nigeria (WVL-N) Project implemented by ActionAid Nigeria with 15.75 million Canadian dollars,

This five-year initiative is designed to strengthen women’s rights organisations, promote gender equality, and combat gender-based violence across Nigeria.

ActionAid Nigeria’s Country Director, Andrew Mamedu on Thursday while highlighting the project’s objectives, stressing its ambitious outreach.

He said: “In the next five years, hold us accountable. We plan to reach 2.7 million women indirectly and 350,000 directly through the support of 188 women-led organisations working at community, local government, and state levels.”

He explained that while the project will focus on eight states, other innovation funds will cover nationwide interventions:

“But there are other strategic opportunity funds or innovation funds, those ones will be run across the 36 states.”

Mamedu further broke down the categories of women the project will target, disclosing that “It includes women with disability, it includes women, the poor and excluded, women that are facing gender-based violence, women that are getting into politics, women in leadership position, women that are trying to improve their livelihood, women facing one form of discrimination.”

He added that ActionAid would collaborate broadly with stakeholders to ensure impact, stressing that: “As ActionAid we will work with all stakeholders, governments, the state governments, the federal government, Ministry of Women Affairs, agencies, departments that are relevant for this, and of course development partners as well to get these results that we assume.”

Clarifying what “strategic funds” mean, Mamedu said: “So strategic funds are funds that deal with emergency issues and they can be assessed within 48 hours.”

At the project’s launch in Abuja, the Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Pasquale Salvaggio, reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to gender equality.

He said: “We are absolutely delighted to support this new initiative that demonstrates Canada’s commitment to gender equality in Nigeria. We are pleased to have so many allies and champions with us today as we work together to advance these goals.”

Explaining why support for women’s rights organisations in Nigeria is essential, Salvaggio said “It matters because Nigerian women and girls are the drivers of change in their communities, they are entrepreneurs and educators, health workers and human rights defenders, policy advocates and peace builders.”

He also pointed to the global impact of the programme, stating that: “The Women’s Voice in Leadership programme has exemplified this leadership. Globally, WVL has supported over 2,200 women’s rights and feminist organisations across more than 30 governments.”

On the scope of the Canadian investment, the High Commissioner concluded:

“This investment will be delivered nationally with strong focus on localization, inclusion and sustainability.”

Canada Commits $15.75 million to Empower Nigerian Women Through ActionAid’s Renewed Leadership Project

Police arrest officers, land grabber over deadly clash in Lagos

By: Zagazola Makama

The Police Command in Lagos State has arrested some of its officers alongside a suspected notorious land grabber, following a violent clash that left five traders dead at Owode Onirin Market in Lagos.

Sources said that on Wednesday, a distress call was received alleging that one Abiodun Ariori, identified as the Chief Executive Officer of Ariori Golden Venture Limited and a known land grabber, stormed a disputed land at Owode Onirin Market with hoodlums and some policemen.

“The policemen were later identified as Insp. Banu Bala Insp, Ahmed Abass, Cpl. Ibrahim Garba and Cpl. Ibrahim Kasimu, all attached to 58 PMF Lafia, Nasarawa State, as well as Insp. Jibrin Samaila attached to 20 PMF Ikeja, whom the suspect allegedly procured illegally,”sources said.

According to the sources, the group attempted to continue construction work on the land where shops and buildings had earlier been demolished.

“They were strongly resisted by dislodged traders and marketers, resulting in a fierce confrontation.

Consequently, five traders Adewale Onimoma, Salawudeen Mufutau, and Taiye Adeoye,sustained fatal injuries. One of the policemen, Insp. Jibrin Samaila, also sustained severe injuries,”said the sources

The sources said the arrested policemen and the suspected land grabber were now in custody, while investigation into the incident was ongoing.

Police arrest officers, land grabber over deadly clash in Lagos