National Security Policies of Nigeria and Benin Republic as Strategies for Curbing Cross-border Crimes

Abstract

This study interrogates the constantly changing nationalsecurity policies of Nigeria and Benin Republic in responseto the cross-border security threats that are currently ravagingthe two West African countries. The common focus in extantliterature is on the diverse transnational organised crimes,with little or no attention paid to the manner in which thesecurity threats have substantially shaped the national securitypolicies of the two states. The study is guided by criticalhuman security theory. Data was collected from primarysources; 13 interviews were conducted in Nigeria and BeninRepublic, which were complimented by direct observationsat the Nigeria-Benin borders. Some data were also derivedfrom secondary sources, and the analysis of data generatedwas essentially qualitative, using descriptive and contentanalyses. Findings show that the security policies of bothcountries are encapsulated in an array of different documentsand that they are, essentially, reactions to the constantlyevolving security threats. The study calls for theharmonisation of border security policies of the twoneighbouring countries in order to successfully rein in oncross-border criminal cartels.