Nigerian Immigration Law and the Dilemma of the Border Communities

Abstract

This paper explores the immigration laws in Nigeria vis-à-vis their impacts on border communities that inhabitants depend on trans-border relations for their socio-cultural, socio-economic and social integration. Though the main aim of Nigeria’s immigration laws and policies is to guarantee national security and ensure that only those qualified to enter the country are admitted into our borders while ensuring territorial integrity, the enforcement of these policies and laws tend to have adverse effects on border communities both within Nigeria and across neighbouring border countries thereby placing these communities in a dilemma. Some of these adverse effects as explored in this paper includes disruption of livelihood, strained relationship between law enforcement and communities, movement restrictions thereby affecting local trade and familial relations that span across borders etc. The paper addresses challenges faced by these border communities to include corruption, intimidation and exploitation by law enforcement officials, unlawful detention etc. The paper advocates for human rights protection in the lenses of specific reforms that addresses the unique challenges faced by border communities in Nigeria. Similarly, recommendations touching on policy reforms, special documentation, regional collaboration have been suggested to further address the dilemmas of these border communities. By balancing immigration policies with the unique characteristics of border communities as suggested in this paper, Nigerian immigration policies can go beyond law enforcement to addressing the core challenges that affect the livelihood of this vulnerable group.