Cross Border Relations and Insecurity in North West, Nigeria, 2015-2022

For over two decades, North West has been embroiled in tension and insecurity. It has been hot bed of banditry, cattle rustling, killing and kidnapping. Road users and farmers are kidnapped, slaughtered and burnt daily. Some say the challenge has degenerated as a result of the influx of criminals into the country. The existential threat posed by rural banditry in the North West, Nigeria has left many in doubt about the capacity of the Nigerian State to perform its constitutional responsibility of providing security for lives and property. The impression is that the State has become overwhelmed by the activities of armed bandits and has lost grip over their activities. Therefore, this paper seeks to explain how cultural affinity between Nigeria and her neighboring States induce insecurity in the region. This study is anchored on routine activity theory and argued that cultural homogeneity between Nigeria and her neighbors induce rural banditry in North West, Nigeria. The study relied on secondary data whereby data were gleaned from books, newspapers, and government official documents among others. The data were analyzed using content analysis. The finding revealed that cultural affinity between Nigeria and her neighboring States induce banditry in North West, Nigeria. We recommend stringent migration laws that would take records of every entry and exit of migrants in order to checkmate criminals who would leverage on the porous borders to perpetrate heinous crime in the country. Received: 10 April 2024 / Accepted: 20 June 2024 / Published: 8 July 2024