Uba Sani: Porous borders, drug trafficking fuelling insecurity in north-west

Uba Sani, governor of Kaduna, says porous borders and drug trafficking are fuelling the rising violence across the north-west region of Nigeria.

Sani spoke on Saturday during a security summit organised by the senate ad hoc committee on national security held in Kaduna.

The governor said drug traffickers and smugglers “move across this border with astonishing ease, retreating into neighbouring territories when under threat”.

He added that the perpetrators also move illegal arms into the country through the borders, which has caused the proliferation of ammunition “estimated in the tens of millions” across the region.

He identified drug trafficking as a major financier for bandits, noting that drug abuse among young people feeds armed groups who use narcotics “to manipulate, embolden, or enslave them”.

‘CREATION OF A NORTH-WEST THEATRE COMMAND’

Sani called for an integrated approach that combines force, community engagement and long-term development.

He said the north-west needs a security structure that reflects the scale and complexity of its challenges.

The governor called for the creation of a north-west theatre command that would bring the Nigerian Army’s 1st and 8th divisions under a unified command structure.

“This will accelerate intelligence sharing, enhance coordinated operations, and dismantle cross-state criminal networks more effectively,” he said.

Sani recommended expanding the multinational joint task force (MNJTF) to cover Nigeria’s borders with the Republic of Niger, saying the model has recorded “notable success” in the Lake Chad Basin.

“This expansion will disrupt arms trafficking routes, deny criminals cross-border sanctuaries, and weaken the networks that sustain their operations,” he said.

The governor added that firepower alone cannot resolve the crisis, stressing that community participation remains central to any sustainable security framework.

He proposed the establishment of permanent security committees at state and local government levels, comprising traditional rulers, religious leaders, women’s groups, youth organisations, civil society and security agencies.

According to him, the committees “will serve as early-warning systems, conflict-resolution platforms, and bridges of trust between citizens and the state”.

Sani further advocated for the creation of state police, arguing that Nigeria’s centralised policing model is overstretched.

“With fewer than 400,000 police officers nationwide, many rural communities are left without meaningful protection,” he said.

Reporting by Idris Shehu and Bolanle Olabimtan