Information Technology – Now or Never: A Report on how drone technology could effectively patrol Nigeria’s borders and curb the country’s insecurity crisis. A must read piece for the Nigerian Government -By Abhulimen Jonathan

For many decades in Nigeria, there has been an influx of products ranging from agricultural commodities, automobiles, weapons and other goods of different kinds and quantities across the Northern and Southern borders into the country. Several attempts have been made by the Nigerian Customs Service to regulate cross-border trade which smugglers exploit on, but it has proven ineffective.

Some of these goods which have been smuggled into the country on a daily basis were discovered to be contraband items, thus leading to the identification and raiding of shops and stores by the Nigerian Customs Service. Some of these products have also been used to carry out inhumane acts on individuals and communities.

On the 20th of October, 2021, The Nigerian Customs Service showcased their plans on kicking-off the 300 billion naira “e-custom” contract for the deployment of drones at the Seme border to ensure border management surveillance, and help in the interception of smuggled goods.

This is a good initiative by the Nigerian Customs Service and a welcome development that will help in effectively monitoring the borders which are porous to smuggling.

Drones can work for more than 24 hours at a time and can capture high-quality images, even though from a far distance and send back data to a ground control station via satellite link.

This initiative should not only be restricted to use on the Seme border only, but should also be deployed at other borders like Idi-Iroko border, which links Nigeria and Benin Republic; Kagadama-Rimi border, which links Nigeria with Niger Republic, and which are very porous to smuggling.

Nigeria’s border is 780km long and there are numerous informal routes, where there are no Customs or Immigration officials to monitor, and this has enabled the illicit dealers to smuggle goods into the country without detection. Use of drone technology to monitor these routes and putting custom officials on standby at each kilometre will help in getting hold of these smugglers.

This initiative will also go a long way in helping the Nigerian security forces to curb the insecurity crisis in the country.

In the Northern and Southern part of the country, there has been an influx of unlicensed arms and ammunitions, which have always been supplied to terrorists plaguing the country and causing ceaseless violence and bloodshed. The employment and rigorous use of drone technology by the Nigerian Military Force will aid them in effectively combating the insecurity crisis plaguing the country.

A Lawmaker in the Kaduna State House of Assembly, Yusuf Mugu, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, on the 27th of September, 2021, called on the Kaduna State Government to deploy drones in the state to help tackle its insecurity situation.

Security Expert, Col. Hassan Stan-Labo in an interview with Solomon Odeniyi, a journalist for Punch Newspaper, on the 27th of September, 2021, said the issue of insecurity ravaging the country could be addressed through the application of technology with drones that have surveillance and engaging capabilities that can be operated from safe distances.

These individuals recognised the importance of drone technology in combating insecurity. The Nigerian Government should not only rely on providing the security forces with arms and ammunitions and the recruiting of many soldiers to the battlefront to combat insecurity, but should also adopt the use of gadgets by the security agents which would provide them with data and aid them in preempting unforeseen national security threats, identifying weakpoints, apprehending intruders and de-escalating security threats.

The use of drones on the Nigerian borders by the Nigerian Military could also aid in tracing the source of unlicensed and dangerous weapons, where they are mostly targeted at for distribution and will ultimately help the Nigerian Military in getting hold of these smugglers.

Over a month ago, the Nigerian Defense Academy was invaded by bandits, with 2 soldiers killed and a Major kidnapped, despite the number of security personnel which were stationed at various checkpoints leading to the academy. This would have not occurred if there were drones to provide situational awareness to the Nigerian Military.

The drones could provide situational awareness to the Nigerian security forces and this will minimise risk to personnel and also aid them in apprehending intruders.

On many occasions, military camps, barracks, police stations have been invaded. Soldiers and policemen have been killed, with their camps and stations burnt and destroyed.

The drones could help maximize the Nigerian security force’s potentials in identifying and de-escalating problems early on their timeline by investigating disturbances through surveillance.