By Odita Sunday
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Dr. Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, has issued a strong charge to commanders of Border Patrol Units across the country, describing them as the “sentinels at the very edges of Nigeria’s sovereignty.”
Speaking at a high-level conference with all border commanders at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, on Thursday, September 11, 2025, the police chief underscored the strategic role of border security in safeguarding Nigeria’s stability.
“A house without a door is a shelter for strangers. Our borders are Nigeria’s doors. If those doors are weak, every danger walks in freely. If they are strong, our children can sleep soundly in their beds. You are the guardians of those doors,” he declared.
Egbetokun reminded officers that Nigeria’s 4,000km land boundaries and extensive maritime corridors are both opportunities and risks. While they enable trade and cultural exchange, he warned, they also expose the country to arms smuggling, human trafficking, and terrorism.
“These are not abstract threats. When you stop a truck carrying hidden rifles, you prevent bloodshed. When you intercept human traffickers, you restore dignity to a life. When you stand firm at a border post, you defend not just territory, but the very identity of Nigeria,” he stressed.
The IGP cited recent successes, including the interception of a shipping container loaded with 800 rifles and over 100,000 rounds of ammunition concealed among imported furniture from Turkey. “That interception was not luck; it was intelligence, vigilance, and collaboration,” he noted.
Dr. Egbetokun emphasized that 21st-century border policing must be proactive and technology-driven.
“We cannot fight 21st-century crime with 20th-century tools. Surveillance systems, drones, biometric scanners, real-time data analysis – these are not luxuries; they are necessities,” he said, adding that intelligence “is everything” in modern policing.
He urged commanders to strengthen grassroots intelligence networks, build trust with communities, and integrate real-time data to preempt criminal networks.
The IGP insisted that border policing cannot be left to the Police alone. “No single agency can secure Nigeria’s borders. Criminals are united in their mission; therefore, we must also be united in ours,” he said, commending joint patrols with Customs, Immigration, and the Armed Forces for recent major arms and narcotics seizures.
He also directed commanders to submit monthly operational reports covering arms seizures, contraband interceptions, trafficking disruptions, and other notable achievements.
“The absence of records will not be interpreted as peace or inactivity. It will be taken as failure of duty,” he warned.
Acknowledging the sacrifices of officers, Egbetokun reassured them that their welfare remains a priority.
“We cannot ask you to give your best if your welfare is neglected. Under my leadership, welfare is not an afterthought—it is a priority,” he pledged, while also honoring fallen officers who paid the ultimate price at border fronts.
He expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for ongoing support to the Police, as well as to the National Assembly, Ministry of Police Affairs, ECOWAS, AU, INTERPOL, and the UNODC for international collaboration.
Closing with a solemn charge, the IGP urged the commanders to lead with courage and accountability:
“Let history record that the Border Patrol Section of the Nigeria Police Force stood firm when Nigeria needed them most. Let it be said that you did not falter at the gates of our nation. Because you were faithful, Nigeria remained strong, Africa stood tall, and the world took notice.”