Nigeria’s security landscape is becoming increasingly fragile due to ongoing instability in the Lake Chad Basin and the wider Sahel region, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) has warned, linking cross-border insecurity to the rising wave of violence within the country.
The Army Chief noted that the persistent unrest in these neighbouring regions has continued to spill over into Nigeria, worsening already existing security challenges such as terrorism, banditry, arms trafficking, and cross-border criminal activities. According to him, the porous nature of Nigeria’s borders has made it easier for armed groups to move freely, intensifying threats in several northern states.
The Lake Chad Basin, which includes parts of Nigeria, Niger, Chad, and Cameroon, has for years been a hotspot for insurgent activities, particularly those linked to extremist groups operating in the region.
Similarly, the Sahel region has witnessed increasing instability due to political upheavals, military coups, and weak governance structures, all of which have created safe havens for armed militants and criminal networks.
The COAS stressed that Nigeria’s security agencies are not only dealing with internal threats but are also facing external pressure from neighbouring regions where instability continues to grow unchecked. He explained that these conditions have made coordinated regional security cooperation more important than ever in addressing shared threats.
He further highlighted that the Nigerian Army has been working alongside regional and international partners to strengthen border security operations and intelligence sharing. These collaborations, according to him, are aimed at curbing the movement of weapons and militants across borders and reducing the impact of external conflicts on Nigeria’s internal stability.
However, the Army Chief acknowledged that despite ongoing military operations and strategic interventions, the challenges remain complex and deeply rooted. He called for stronger regional commitment, improved surveillance systems, and increased investment in security infrastructure to effectively manage the evolving threats.
The statement comes amid renewed concerns over insecurity in several parts of Nigeria, particularly in the North-East and North-West, where attacks by armed groups and criminal gangs continue to disrupt livelihoods and displace communities.
Analysts have long warned that instability in the Sahel and Lake Chad regions will continue to have direct consequences for Nigeria unless there is a unified and sustained regional response. The COAS’s remarks reinforce growing calls for African nations within the affected zones to strengthen cooperation in intelligence sharing and joint military operations.
As the security situation evolves, Nigerians are once again reminded of the urgent need for both domestic reforms and international collaboration to address the root causes of insecurity and restore lasting peace across affected regions.