The Growing Trend of Transnational Organized Crime in Nigeria and its Neighbouring Countries -By Tope Shola Akinyetun

Nigeria is a country with a huge land area covering about 923,768 square kilometres with more than 36, 450 kilometres of land and maritime borders. Nigeria shares a boundary with Benin Republic, Chad and Niger as well as Chad and Cameroon to the West, North and East respectively. With this expanse of land comes the challenge of adequately securing Nigerian borders which are majorly porous and play host to the influx of criminals and encourage the proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW). The circulation of SALW has led to an increase in crime, criminal organizations and gangs, communal and sectarian clashes, ethnoreligious violence, identity crises and armed conflicts, leading to the destruction of the life and property of many. Meanwhile, the challenge of armed violence and proliferation of SALW are worsened by the inability of the security agents to tackle the menace of violence and proliferation of weapons as a result of inadequate training, poor remuneration, inadequate manpower and technical support.

The term transnational crime, which is often used interchangeably with cross-border crime or trans-border crime, is defined as any form of criminalized incident or act that has the potential of engendering peoples’ lives occupying any part in Africa. They are crimes that transcend national boundaries and which contravene fundamental norms guiding the international community. It is described as any crime that satisfies the following conditions:

(a) committed in more than a state;

(b) committed in one state whereas a significant part of its preparation, organization and control takes place in another state;

(c) committed in one state but includes an organized criminal group that takes part in criminal activities in more than one state; or

(d) committed in one state but has extensive effects in another state.

Transnational organized crime is a global phenomenon to which no continent is immune. Since the end of the Cold war, crime has assumed different, albeit, organized dimensions in Asia, North America, Europe, Latin America and Africa. This is because liberalism and globalization have increased the economic interdependence of various states of the world thus granting criminal elements more opportunity to form syndicates and networks across these countries; often under the guise of promoting globalization. It is equally important to note that the level of success of crime in one country often becomes a motivation and enabler for such to be introduced to a neighbouring country. For instance, crimes such as cybercrime, smuggling and trafficking often require networks beyond an immediate country. As such, actors group themselves into syndicates and take advantage of globalization to move drugs, people and counterfeit products across state borders. In the same vein, crimes such as financial fraud, maritime piracy and arms trafficking often require a network of buyers and sellers from various parts of a region who possess different expertise required to move such products undetected.

Transnational Organized Crime is an umbrella term for an array of crimes such as child trafficking, prostitution, smuggling, the proliferation of small and light weapons (SALW), advanced fee Fraud (419), kidnapping and maritime piracy taking place in more than a state at a time. Trafficking, has for a long time, been a major challenge to border and human security in Nigeria. This was why the General Buhari regime introduced the death penalty for drug traffickers after the first arrest was made in 1983. The menace has continued unabated while routes such as Senegal, Ghana and South Africa have become popular among Nigerian traffickers. Another attestation to the prevalence of trafficking is the establishment of the Nigerian Drug and Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to combat the pushing of illicit drugs across Africa using the Nigerian borders. Similar to trafficking is the challenge of smuggling which pervades the Nigerian borders.

Due to its porosity, the Nigerian borders, particularly the Seme border, have become a haven for the smuggling of goods including food items, cars and weapons. Although the border has been closed on several occasions, it remains a favourite location for smuggling activities due to its proximity to Benin Republic, Chad, Niger and other parts of Africa. Attention must also be paid to the proliferation of SALW which has in no small measure fueled armed conflict in the country. SALW contributes to the incidence of armed conflict, banditry, terrorism, insurgency, militancy, organized crime and political instability in Africa. The author argues that the conflicts in Burundi, Darfur, Nigeria and Rwanda have been intensified by the flow of arms in these countries.

Several factors have given impetus to the growing trend of transnational organized crime in Nigeria and her neighbouring countries. These include arms proliferation, porous borders, corruption, poverty, globalization and inadequate security personnel. Meanwhile, the availability of SALW in the world has been documented by scholars. Available Data shows that a high number of these arms can be found in sub-Saharan Africa thus increasing the chances of armed robbery, cultism, cattle rustling, oil bunkering and terrorism in the region. It is believed that the flow of arms in Africa is responsible for the incessant conflicts that have engulfed the continent – among which are the civil war in Sudan, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Nigeria, as well as other violent conflicts in Mali, Guinea, Uganda, Congo, Libya, Rwanda and Somalia.

Another necessitating factor that has been repeatedly mentioned in the literature is the Nigerian porous borders. There is no gainsaying that a high level of negligence and the lack of political will of various governments have left the Nigerian borders largely unsecured and are constantly used by criminal elements to perpetrate various forms of crime alongside illegal migration. Popular borders such as the Seme border (Nigeria-Benin) Idiroko border (Nigeria-Benin), Ilela (Nigeria-Niger), Jibia (Nigeria-Niger), Mfun (Nigeria-Cameroon), Bele Sahoda (Nigeria-Cameroon), Gamboru/Ngala (Nigeria-Niger) and the Coastal areas (Cote d’Ivoire, Benin, Equatorial Guinea and Central Africa) are being used to smuggle petroleum products, food items, arms and drugs in and out of Nigeria. There are 1,400 illegal routes into Nigeria – a figure which is 1,316 more than the approved border control posts. Meanwhile, the illegal activities in these borders have been sustained due to the widespread corruption and poverty that plagues Nigerian society.

The prevalence of corruption in Nigeria requires little emphasis. However, what is of major concern here is the challenge of corruption among border officials who are saddled with the responsibility of securing the borders and arresting perpetrators of transnational organized crime. It is not uncommon to hear of the connivance between government officials, security agents and criminals that enables them to traffic illicit drugs, and smuggles goods and arms. Border-related corruption can also take the form of leaking intelligence and criminals, obstruction of investigation and facilitating the movement of illicit goods and migrants. Related to the challenge of corruption is the prevalence of poverty in Nigeria which makes people vulnerable to criminal activities.

Transnational organized crime is also caused by institutional factors such as the ECOWAS Protocol which is aimed at improving the business relationship between member countries through the free movement of persons and goods. The Protocol has however been exploited by criminals to traffic goods and drugs and encourage the growth of terrorism in the region. In addition to this is the limited presence of security and law enforcement officials to act as capable guardians against transnational organized crime. More so, there are no effective policies to checkmate incessant migration taking place under the guise of trade while in most cases the security personnel (Immigration, Customs and Army) stationed at the borders are not efficient. This has increased the chances of international terrorism. For emphasis, Nigeria’s porous borders around Cameroon and the Niger Republic have given way to the influx of undocumented migrants who become foot soldiers for the Boko Haram insurgency.

The effect of transnational organized crime is enormous and it majorly impacts the economy, human security and criminal activities. Due to transnational organized crime, the government has enacted various economic policies that negatively affect the neighbouring countries and their citizens. The funds meant for economic development have been laundered out of the country while the poor citizens have been subjected to poverty, unemployment, deprivation, and exclusion thus encouraging the upsurge in cybercrime, oil theft and maritime crime. Transnational organized crime also poses a great threat to life and property and threatens the degradation of human security and the erosion of national security. The menace has led to the loss of lives due to the incessant gun battles between security forces and criminals.

Arising from the discussion, it is recommended that the federal government of Nigeria should intensify actions to see that various agreements had with other neighbouring states are totally and strictly adhered to. Meanwhile, border security agents should be well-equipped, remunerated and staffed to be motivated to tackle the menace of trans-border crime in Nigeria. The security agents, as well as the judiciary, should intensify efforts to ensure adequate prosecution of trans-border criminals to serve as deterrence to others. More so, the government should tackle corruption in Nigeria because all the aforementioned challenges are directly or indirectly linked to corruption. for instance, leaders, security agents, host communities as well as members of the public are victims of corruption in several distinct ways. Finally, the government should formulate and implement policies aimed at alleviating mass suffering and poverty.