Borders, Barriers and Broken Promises: The Legal Realities of Irregular Migration

This paper interrogates the paradox of migration governance under the theme Borders, Barriers and Broken Promises. It argues that irregular migration is not simply a matter of illegality but a legal reality produced by restrictive frameworks, administrative barriers, and sovereignty-driven policies that criminalize mobility. Despite international commitments to human dignity and rights, states increasingly enact deterrent measures that fracture promises of protection and equality. Nigeria provides a compelling case study, positioned as both a hub of emigration and immigration within Africa, while simultaneously enforcing exclusionary practices that conflict with ECOWAS free movement protocols. The analysis demonstrates how barriers (legal, political, and administrative) transform migrants into subjects of irregularity, exposing them to detention, discrimination, and insecurity. By situating Nigeria within broader African and global debates, the paper reveals how broken promises of international law undermine genuine pathways for lawful mobility. Ultimately, it calls for a rethinking of migration governance that reconciles sovereignty with universal rights, ensuring fairness, proportionality, and genuine protection for migrants.