Abstract: This paper examines the proliferation
of irregular cross-border routes and their impact on security threats along the
Katsina–Zamfara border area of the Nigeria–Niger frontier between 2010 and
2020. It argues that these routes, which historically facilitated trade,
migration, and social interaction, have increasingly been exploited by
transnational criminal networks involved in arms trafficking, banditry,
kidnapping, cattle rustling, and the smuggling of illicit goods. The study
adopts a historical and analytical approach to trace the evolution of these
routes from pre-colonial mobility corridors to contemporary security hotspots.
It further demonstrates that weak border governance, inadequate manpower, poor
inter-agency coordination, corruption, and limited community participation have
allowed irregular routes to proliferate and undermine national security. The
findings show that insecurity in the Katsina–Zamfara borderlands cannot be
explained solely by the existence of porous borders but also by long-standing
institutional weaknesses and the limited capacity of the state to regulate
border spaces effectively. The paper concludes that reducing security threats
in the region requires a comprehensive border governance strategy that combines
improved surveillance, stronger institutional capacity, active community
participation, and sustained bilateral cooperation between Nigeria and Niger.
Such an approach would not only curb the misuse of irregular routes but also
promote long-term peace, security, and stability in the borderlands.
Keywords: Irregular Routes; Border Security; Border Governance; Banditry; Nigeria–Niger Borderlands.
DOI: 10.36349/zamijoh.2026.v04i02.018
author/Yusuf Salisu
journal/Zamfara IJOH Vol. 4, Issue 2
