Illegal Migration in Nigeria-Cameroon Border in Cross River State and The Crisis of Internal Security in Nigeria, 2015 – 2025

The internal security crisis in Nigeria cannot be unconnected from illegal migration. Nigeria’s porous borders and the influx of undocumented migrants into the country, which gives room for criminals to come into the country is a major contributing factors to Nigeria’s internal insecurity. These have to do with the influx of drug peddlers, human traffickers, terrorists, armed robbers into the country, etc. Though the government of the day cannot be exonerated in the present internal security crisis of the country, (as it has the constitutional responsibility to ensure that Nigeria’s land and sea borders are secured) a major contributing factor to internal insecurity in Nigeria is illegal migration and multiple entry points, especially in the Nigeria-Cameroon border in Cross River State. The study examined the various entry points at the Nigeria-Cameroon border as basic routes for undocumented migrants and the implications for internal security of Nigeria. The study employed the quantitative and qualitative methods in the collection of data and simple percentage in the analysis of data. It is observed that the determinant of illegal migration is failure in governance. There should be adequate manpower for the security of our borders, and ensure accountability within border agencies. The study employed the push-pull theory to explain the reason why people migrate from their home countries.