IGP Egbetokun Rallies Border Patrol Commanders, Says Nigeria’s Security Starts At The Gates
Nigeria’s Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has charged commanders of border patrol units to step up vigilance and innovation in safeguarding the country’s porous frontiers, warning that “a house without a door is a shelter for strangers.”
Speaking at a conference with border patrol commanders at the Force Headquarters in Abuja on Thursday, Egbetokun described Nigeria’s borders as the “doors” of the nation, stressing that their strength or weakness directly determines national safety.
The IGP lamented how the inflow of small arms, narcotics, contraband, and human trafficking has exploited border gaps, fuelling violence, crippling industries, and destabilising communities.
According to the IGP, when you stop a truck carrying hidden rifles, you prevent bloodshed. When you intercept human traffickers, you restore dignity to a life.
He emphasised the need for technology-driven policing, intelligence sharing, and seamless collaboration with sister agencies such as Customs, Immigration, and the Armed Forces, warning that modern criminal networks are sophisticated, well-funded, and international.
Egbetokun also pledged improved welfare and equipment for frontline officers, while directing commanders to submit monthly reports on arms seizures, narcotics interceptions, and trafficking disruptions, insisting that “the absence of records will not be interpreted as peace, but as failure of duty.”
Paying tribute to fallen officers and acknowledging federal and international support, the IGP urged commanders to return to their duty posts with “renewed determination to make the Nigeria Police proud,” declaring that securing Nigeria’s borders was not only a national imperative but also a global responsibility.
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