Evaluating the Effectiveness of Security Governance Frameworks in Controlling Cross-Border Organised Crime: Evidence from Seme and Idi-Roko Borders, Nigeria 2020-2025

Authors: Ikwuoma Sunday UdochukwuOBIKEZE Obiajulu Sunday A; EZEABASILI, Ifeoma Ethel

Volume: 7 | Issue: 1 | Year: 2026

Abstract

Cross-border organised crime remains a significant and persistent threat to Nigeria’s national security and economic stability, with its effects most pronounced at the Seme and Idi-Roko land borders linking Nigeria to the Republic of Benin. These border corridors facilitate extensive commercial and human movement, but they also provide strategic opportunities for organised criminal networks involved in smuggling, human trafficking, and the movement of illicit goods. This study evaluates the effectiveness of existing security governance frameworks in controlling organised crime at these border points. With the help of secondary data, the research draws on analysis of secondary crime data, and evidence from field studies. The findings indicate that despite the existence of inter-agency governance arrangements, organised criminal activities remain widespread, undermining border control efforts. Key challenges include overlapping institutional mandates, inadequate resources, weak intelligence sharing, and coordination gaps among security agencies. The paper makes policy recommendations aimed at strengthening inter-agency coordination, improving data integration, and enhancing real-time surveillance, thereby contributing to both academic and policy debates on border security governance in Nigeria.