Border Security and Changing Pattern of Nigeria-Benin Relations: an Overview

Border Security and Changing Pattern of Nigeria-Benin Relations: An Overview

Umar Farouk Mohammed1, Sule Isah Kazaure1 and P. Durga Rao*

Department of Sociology, School of Humanities, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara 144 411, Punjab, India Mobile: 19646983706, 19878339496, 26281862057 E-mail: 1, 1, 2

KEYWORDS Dynamic. Hiked. Hostile. Threat. Underlying. Unilateral

ABSTRACT Nigeria-Benin relations are socio-economic and security related because of the economic viability, porous nature and security threat of the countries’ borders. It is the most vital border across West African region through which socio-economic and cultural relations have been established since period before colonial masters. The colonial artificial border caused insecurity where the issue of border control led to some disagreements coupled with unilateral actions taken by Nigeria also led to an overt and sour change in the relations of the two countries. This paper examined importance and security challenges of Nigeria-Benin borders; and discussed the reasons for and changing nature of the Nigerian-Benin relations during 2003-2019. Qualitative content analysis was adopted to examine the changing pattern of Nigeria-Benin relations. Finally, the outcome of the paper recommends the review of the borderlines; creating youth employments and improving security services that rhyme with present situation to tackling Nigeria’s insecurity.

INTRODUCTION sequently, there was the spread of Yoruba and Fon languages across the two communities (Ba- Nigeria in its foreign policy recognizes cor- batunde 2014). Prior to the creation of Nigeria- dial relations with her neighbours as central to Benin colonial borders, the Yoruba and the Fon its peaceful existence (Obiozor 2013). Its official interrelated with one another and moved freely relations with Benin are given most priority as for economic activities and transactions across with other neighbouring states of Niger, Chad the two territories without restrictions (Yusuf and Cameroun. This is further anchored by the 2016). However, the politics of colonial border belief that Nigeria’s prosperity and security is creation continued to the post-colonial era with intrinsically linked to its peaceful co-existence strong emphasis on the impact of guarded terri- with her immediate neighbours (Obizor 2013). torial borders as a critical security issue; and Hence Nigeria, like any other country in the thus tended to affect the pre-colonial Nigerian- world, pursues what is called interrelated goals Beninese relationships (Babatunde 2014). in her foreign policy. In spite of the artificial borders that for in- A number of Nigerians had socio-economic stance separated the Yoruba people of Nigeria relations with Beninese before colonial period. from the Fon people of Benin as well as the For instance, there was an appreciable contact recognition of borders as determinant of securi- between the Yoruba of South-western Nigeria ty, there has been the persistence of cultural and the Fon of the Republic of Benin; and con- and socio-economic affinities among the peoples (Yusuf 2016). Most of the Yoruba and Fon *Address for correspondence: peoples in the two countries have similarities in Dr. P. Durga Rao sociological and anthropological characteristics. Associate Professor They speak each other’s language, a number of Department of Sociology them practice the same religion and other cultur- School of Humanities, Lovely Professional University, al traits irrespective of differences in national Phagwara 144411, Punjab, India citizenship and ethnicity (Babatunde 2014). Mobile: 6281862057 Moreover, the two countries’ foreign policies E-mail:[email protected] with regard to each other were flexible in terms 122 UMAR FAROUK MOHAMMED, SULE ISAH KAZAURE AND P. DURGA RAO of their political boundaries. Therefore, it was rate of trafficking ammunitions around the bor- easy for Nigerians and Beninese to cross the der area as well as illicit drug trade has serious two countries’ borders; and this accessibility implications for Nigeria. Consequently, a num- had been a serious threat to the Nigeria’s secu- ber of policies were formulated by the Nigerian rity (Yusuf 2016). Consequently, Nigeria became government on how best to manage the threats dynamic in her relations with Benin as relate to from Benin. Similarly, some policies and actions border issues and embarked on unilateral ac- were bilaterally carried out by the Nigerian and tions in 2003 (Babatunde 2014). It is against this Beninese Governments (Adetula 2014). backdrop that, the paper is set to examine the Nigeria was a British colony surrounded by changing nature of Nigeria-Benin relations as erstwhile French colonies. Their difference in relate to security issues along the countries’ colonial orientation made Nigeria’s neighbours borders during 2003-2019. have cultural, political, military and economic affiliations with France while Nigeria on the oth- Objectives er hand had such ties with Britain. This remains number one factor responsible for the misun- To examine the importance and security derstanding between the two countries long ago. challenges of Nigeria-Benin borders Despite that, the citizens of the neighbouring To discuss the reasons for and the chang- countries, especially Beninese have been de- ing nature of the Nigeria-Benin relations pending upon Nigerian economy for a very long during 2003- 2019. time, coupled with encroachment on her territo- rial borders. In spite of this, the Nigerian Gov- METHODOLOGY ernment struggled in putting much effort to ensure peaceful co-existence with Benin. Howev- In this paper, qualitative content analysis is er, Nigeria-Benin relation has been affected with utilized to analyse secondary sources on the series of border misunderstandings (Omede Nigeria-Benin border insecurity and relations. 2006). Nigerians and Beninese movement across Such sources included textbooks, journals, semi- the two countries’ borders without the neces- nars and conference papers and dissertations. The sary documents for the journey is also another study adopts content analysis approach to study, factor. The movement of people had been free analyse and interpret the data obtained from the across the borders. They were free to visit their above mentioned sources in order to arrive at in- friends and even to attend some social func- formed opinions and objective judgment. tions while exercising illegal trading. In a nut- shell, it was observed that the earnings of the The Underlying Factors low income of the people in those areas, who were mainly subsistent farmers, had led the There are number of underlying factors that youths to look forward for survival. They be- are found to be of great importance to disclose. came influenced by indulging in illegal business- The factors cover the history of Nigeria-Benin es (Adeyinka 2014). The most difficult thing that diplomatic, socio-economic and security rela- prompted hefty challenges to Nigerians had been tions. This reveals the implications of land bor- the treatment they received from the Beninese der for Nigeria’s external relations and national who imposes taxes to those Nigerians passing security as well as the ways in which Nigeria through their borders. The border porosity led muddled through, amidst challenges and diffi- to the inflow of illegitimate goods that over the culties associated with her location in West Af- years constituted threats to the Nigerian securi- rica (Adetula 2014). It is indicated there in the ty (Folarin et al. 2014). This continues to date, work that Nigeria uses her power and resources consequently causing sour relations between for regional security in West Africa. In spite of the countries. that, the relationship as a result of shared bor- It is realized that the market exchange be- der between Nigeria and Benin and the criminal tween the two countries contributed seriously operations around the border area has caused a to the survival of criminal activities across the lot of insecurity in Nigeria. For instance, the high border. Nigeria-Benin land border is the most

J Sociology Soc Anth, 10(1-3): 121-126 (2019) BORDER SECURITY AND CHANGING PATTERN OF NIGERIA-BENIN 123 crucial one across the sub-region because of Overdependence on border trade as source the cultural and geographical landscape of the of revenue, perhaps, explains why Benin was Beninese-Nigerian border. The current commer- classified by the United Nations as one of the cial and economic activities taking place around world’s poorest nations (Nwokedi 1991). Worst the strategic business places that connect the was that since the classification, the foreign countries have become a great life-force. This policy of Benin has been concerned mainly with caused the illegitimate cross-border trade and overcoming its economic condition and its rela- criminal activities including smuggling of SALW tions with Nigeria are highly directed to that ef- along Nigeria-Benin borders. These have been fect. Similarly, the two countries had already es- the major challenge to Nigeria’s security (Blum tablished a kind of trade re-exportation where 2014). The West African borders’ security situa- Benin receives goods from other countries and tions have been identified as a long-time prob- exporting to Nigeria. Although, the practice has lem that requires committed and collective ac- been taking place cut across all countries that tive responsibilities by member states. The crim- shares border with Nigeria but Benin has been inals used arms to facilitate and ensure their tar- sphere heading the activities because of the geted interests which in turn to cause violence. geographical location of the two countries (Sossou- The free flow of arms across the West Afri- Agba 2011). can States has ensured and caused a wound to In spite of all bilateral and multilateral ac- the peaceful co-existence around the sub-region tions carried out in order to control transnation- (Ola 2012). Nigeria suffers most by availability al criminal activities across the Nigeria-Benin of arms used by insurgent groups and other vi- border, criminal activities continued unabated; olent groups while causing problems to both and increased in multiple. Apart from trafficking human and properties (Ola 2012). of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) there exists illegal trade across the border that include RESULTS AND DISCUSSION arms smuggling, drug and human trafficking and other criminal activities like arm robbery and to Importance and the Threats of Nigeria-Benin some extent the area serves as hidden place for Borders criminals (Adeola and Fayomi 2012). The artificial border line between the two countries and Generally, borderlands are melting and secu- lack of purposeful leadership within both coun- rity hot spots and Nigeria-Benin borders are no tries continues to facilitate the inflow of illegiti- exceptions. The country’s borderlands became are- mate goods to Nigeria. Also, the low income earn- nas for both business and unwanted activities. Ety- ings among Beninese border communities, made mologically, Nigeria-Benin border region is known many of them resort to illegal smuggling that to be commercial centers that connected the two threatens Nigeria’s security (Adeyinka 2014). states (Sossou-Agbo 2011). The South-western The persistency in the foregoing criminal activ- Nigeria, with different commercial areas is known to ities across Nigeria-Benin border continued to be economic strategic place since the time of the be a serious threat to Nigerian economy and colonial masters. The economic relation between society, especially, from 2009 to date with the strategic places of Port Norvo in Benin Republic intensity of insecurity emanating firstly from and Lagos from Nigeria has made the relation of the Boko-Haram insurgency to the activities of Ni- countries strong (Sossou-Agbo 2011). ger Delta militants (Sossou-Agbo 2011). Even Economically Benin is dependent on illegal before then, Nigerian Government began to hold trade with Nigeria across the country’s land bor- Benin authority responsible for the continued der. Given Benin’s transit position and its delib- criminal activities across their borders. erate pursuit of an economic infiltration policy Nigerian leaders considered Benin Govern- towards Nigeria, the foreign policy challenges ment as silent promoters of illegal cross-border for its leaders seem to determine when and how trade through its lukewarm attitudes as well as to safeguard Benin’s autonomy by cushioning lack of political will towards the control efforts it from the consequences of economic malaise of such activities (Sossou-Agbo 2011). With the in Nigeria (Nwokedi 1991). increase of crime across border areas when some

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Beninese villages became real markets for small ment to local people; offered high profits to Ni- arms and light weapons (Sossou-Agbo 2011), gerian and Benin businessmen as well as politi- Nigeria began to think of embarking on unilater- cians who had vested interest in the trade al action. Additionally, in 2000, two Nigerian cus- (Chambers et al. 2012). toms officers were killed while trying to arrest Meanwhile, the Nigeria-Benin Joint effort of some suspected Beninese smugglers (Bisi 2016). 2003 to reform informal border trade failed with Finally, in 2003, an international robbery increase in criminal activities that were serious across the countries’ border led to multiple bor- threats to Nigeria’s security. Consequently, Ni- ders’ shut down on Nigerian side; and this was geria closed its border again (ibid). Neverthe- the beginning of unilateral action by Nigerian less, Nigeria-Benin bilateral affiliations contin- Government (Adetula 2014). However, it is perti- ue to be bonded by certain resolutions agreed nent to note that, the border criminal activities to, under Economic Community of West African did not affect Nigeria only but also Benin. For States (ECOWAS). Such resolutions include ¦ example, there was more than one attack on dif- 67.5 billion Nigeria-Benin agreement for gener- ferent banks at Dantokpa market in Cotonou in ating electricity not only in Nigeria and Benin, 2008 by Nigerian criminals that entered the coun- but Dakar, Senegal, Togo and Ghana. The agree- try unexplored. Apart from the recorded casual- ment was reached during the 26th ordinary ECO- ties, huge amount of CFA was stolen (Adetula WAS Summit in 2003 (Olatuyi 2003). It was the 2014). very year that marked the beginning of harsh unilateral actions by Nigeria in her relations with Continuity and Change in the Relations the Republic of Benin. But the country went ahead and signed an agreement involving bil- A number of bilateral and multilateral actions lions of Naira that was going to be mainly fi- were carried out by Nigerian and Beninese Gov- nanced by its resources. ernments as well as ECOWAS in order to curtail Despite their divergent approach to each the incessant security threats across Nigeria- other, Nigeria-Benin bilateral cooperation en- Benin border. Nigeria remained persistent and sued. For example the two countries signed insistent on cooperative measures with Benin “Death Kneel” on piracy, a pact that will mini- until 2003 when the former viewed the latter as mize if not stamp out the activities of robbers uncommitted (Adetula 2014). This was the be- who are giving owners of trader large boat sleep- ginning of change in Nigeria-Benin relations from less nights and ruining the country’s economies. friendly bilateral to hostile unilateral actions. For The agreement was endorsed by Presidents example, on the 9th of August, 2003, Nigeria for Goodluck Ebele Jonathan of Nigeria and Bon- the first time closed her land borders with Benin iYayi of Benin in 2011 (Odita 2011). Also, Nigeria over cross-border crimes. Few days after, the partnered Benin to rehabilitate Badagry-Seme Republic of Benin and Nigeria signed an agree- road. As disclosed by BoniYayi, the President ment that encouraged the latter to open her bor- of Benin Republic in 2012, the two countries ders after the former pledged to cooperate ac- decided to reconstruct the road in order to boost tively with Nigerian authorities in the control of transportation system between them (Ugwu border crimes (Adetula 2014). Consequent upon 2012). However, the partnership for the rehabili- the closure of the Nigerian border in 2003, Benin tation of Badagry-Seme road did not materialize; experienced serious fuel hike which led to high and Nigeria-Benin relations continued to be of price of fuel in the country. In the meantime, equity and par. So unlike the countries’ relations Benin Government decided to remove a petrol between 1970 and 2000 that was of respect and subsidy that had been enjoyed by citizens since mutual support as to tackling the security prob- 2000 in order to have economic control (Cham- lems they faced at the time; now the relations bers et al. 2012). In the cause of that, the state hold a pattern of equality and reciprocated re- allowed the operation of illegal fuel selling to spect. The case of Dokubo-Asari, a Nigerian who determine the price. Since the removal of subsi- was arrested by the Benin Republic Gendarmes dy the price was not only determined by illegal around the Lubeleyi roundabout on the 27th market but ensured an avenue for illegal employ- November, 2013 fuelled the poor relations.

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However, despite the series joint effort of the because they are the ones who face increasing two sister states, smuggling of illegitimate items insecurity resulting from smuggling of small arms continues to happen across the border while and light weapons. Human security is an impor- the level of insecurity in Nigeria has increased. tant and new focus on security as a whole in The unilateral decision by the Nigerian govern- international relations and it cannot be ignored. ment has continued unnoticed soon after the Thus, Nigerian Government reacted harshly by signing of the free trade across Africa to make closures of her border, to what it perceived as African economic attractive and of great impor- lack of commitment from Benin in the control of tance so as to compete with global economic border crimes. However, it is also clear that the challenges (Alake 2019). The Government of two nations needed and supported each other Nigeria took a unilateral decision to close its economy-wise, although there were cases of borders in August, 2019 following the reason to border closure, it is in those times the impor- control influx of goods like rice and tomatoes tance of their relationship was visible. The Ni- that believed to be expired items to Nigerians. gerian government was of the belief that the in- The decision has affected not only countries troduction of Joint Border Post which was intro- bordering with Nigeria but also States from duced and established to be managed by Nige- where such countries receiving imported goods ria and Benin, can serve as remedy to such prob- for transfer to Nigeria (Nigeria-Benin Border Clo- lems, however it did not yield positive changes sure 2019). This indicates that Nigeria has been rather there was an escalation of insecurity shouldering and boosting economy of Benin as across the border. This motivates and influenc- a result of the economic happening across the es the Nigerian government to embark on unilat- border which gradually led to illicit smuggling eral decision for the closure of the border in of arms. It is reported that 80 percent of imports August 2019, which in turn ushered economic received by Benin are transferred to Nigeria problem with Republic of Benin and the coun- (Alake 2019). According to custom spokesman, tries from where it imports goods. It is observed “That date is not the terminal date for the border that the effort of Nigeria to join hand with Benin closure, it is end of the first phase, and the bor- in order to arrest the menace and the interven- der will remain closed until set objectives are tion of Economic Community of West African achieved” (Alake 2019). State (ECOWAS) to mediate between the two The scenario with Nigeria-Benin border is sister States have not resulted positive changes beyond the limit and effort of signing bilateral which remains the reason for unilateral action relation but rather to controlling the influence by Nigeria. from external forces passing through Benin for economic survival of other countries. Moreover, RECOMMENDATIONS disparities of administrative orientation of the two countries also fuel the problem causing in- To end the problem of artificial border, it has security across the border as nowadays the bor- to do with collective responsibility from both der remains the chief source of illicit drugs, small Nigeria and Benin, irrespective of their political arms and light weapons. It is observed that the orientations by colonizers. The borderline needs Nigerian government embarked on this decision to be revised to determine well defined border to control not only importing rice and tomatoes lines, so as to avoid illegal encroachments; pro- but also an avenue to control menace of arms grams should be initiated to ensure the reduc- smuggling which requires not to be disclosed to tion of poverty among citizens of the countries general public for security reason. and border communities so as to manage the challenge of unemployment. This can be CONCLUSION achieved only when there is purposeful leadership cut across the connected counties; addi- The criminal activities across the Nigeria- tional number of security personnel should be Benin border did not only affect Nigerian soci- employed as well as equipping them with train- ety by avoiding its measures and making its in- ing and arms that rhyme with present situation stitution imbalance, but put Nigerians at risk in order to tackling the menace of arms smug-

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