Nigeria Has No Protected Borders, Jerry Gana Laments

A erstwhile curate of Information and Culture and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Prof. Jerry Gana, has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to instantly unafraid Nigeria’s borders arsenic a captious measurement towards addressing the ongoing herder-farmer clashes, banditry and wide insecurity successful the country.

Gana served successful assorted capacities nether subject and civilian governments, spoke successful Abuja yesterday during the commemoration of the 2025 International Day of Peace and the 25th day of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) connected the theme: “Act Now for a Peaceful World.”

The one-time curate of Cooperation and Integration successful Africa nether the medication of erstwhile Olusegun Obasanjo, said, “Peace besides stems from the spot and integrity of unafraid borders. Nations exist, successful part, to support quality beingness — and without secured borders, that relation fails. I americium profoundly disturbed that the Federal Republic of Nigeria has virtually nary protected borders.

“Our borders are porous. People tin travel successful anytime, immoderate day, anyhow and bash immoderate they like. This is irresponsible and unacceptable, helium said.”

Gana aligned his views with the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, who precocious advocated for urgent attraction connected Nigeria’s borderline security.

He said, “Yes, we person neighbours, but that doesn’t mean we should beryllium perpetually disturbed by outer incursions. It’s not fair. Many communities endure from regular invasions by equipped groups and bandits who destruct lives and assertion lands that are not theirs. This is simply a superior matter.”
He urged the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the national authorities to prioritise borderline security, stressing that without it, insecurity volition persist.

“Insecurity volition proceed to thrive successful Nigeria unless our borders are decently secured. Peace and comfortableness volition stay elusive if this contented is ignored.

“Peace leads to prosperity. Conflict, connected the different hand, leads to immense suffering and brings retired the worst successful humanity. We indispensable support and support the sanctity of quality beingness — thing is much precious than quality life. Sadly, immoderate radical nary longer respect beingness arsenic invaluable and instrumentality it without conscience,” Gana said.

He emphasised that injustice breeds struggle and warned leaders to enactment with fairness and integrity.
The erstwhile curate commended the enactment of IPCR for sustaining its ngo of promoting bid advocacy, peacemaking, peacebuilding, bid studies and bid management.

He said the economical interaction of unit is estimated astatine implicit $19 trillion.

“That’s $19 trillion wasted successful lives, resources, and potential. Imagine what could beryllium done with that benignant of concern successful development. Sub-Saharan Africa remains 1 of the slightest peaceful regions globally,” helium asserted.

In his remarks, the director-general of IPCR, Dr Joseph Ochogwu, said, “Peace is simply a tangible and achievable world erstwhile radical are socially connected. Peacebuilding is not a one-time lawsuit — it is simply a continuous process that demands dedication, innovation and hope.”

He acknowledged the changing planetary scenery shaped by technology: “As we look up to the adjacent 25 years, our attack indispensable stay resilient. We indispensable proceed to innovate, adapt, and collaborate. Technology tin assistance span divides, empower communities done dialogue, and guarantee each dependable is heard.”

Ochogwu praised the medication of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for showing “unprecedented commitment” to addressing the basal causes of conflict.