CHALLENGES OF CRIMINAL ANTICS IN BORDERLAND SECURITY: A STUDY OF SELECTED LGA'S IN OGUN STATE.

ABSTRACT: This study was carried out on the challenges of criminal antics in borderland security in Ogun State using Idiroko Town Of Ipokia Local Government, Ogun State as a case study. The survey design was adopted and the simple random sampling techniques were employed in this study. The population size comprised of residents of Idiroko Town in Ipokia Local Government, Ogun State. In determining the sample size, the researcher purposefully selected 147 respondents and 141 were validated. Self-constructed and validated questionnaire was used for data collection. The collected and validated questionnaires were analyzed using frequency tables, and mean scores. The result of the findings reveals that the factors influencing borderland crimes in Nigerian borders include, poverty, lack of good governance, corruption, chronic armed conflict, armed banditry, porous border security and transnational crimes. The study also revealed that criminal antics are very prevalent in Nigeria borderlands. Furthermore, the patterns of criminal antics prevalent in Nigeria borderlands comprises of the use of tankers, trucks, trailers and vehicles in concealing goods, use of drones, bribing, hiding goods in heaps of clothes, faking pregnancies, storing contraband inside caskets, and use of ambulance to deceive unsuspecting security personnel. Therefore, it is recommended that there is need to strengthen the cooperation and coordination of Nigerian security agencies involved in border control or management. A well coordinated effort and intelligent sharing between security agencies like the Police, Customs, Immigration, Civil Defence Corps, the Military etc will go a long to ensure effective border security. To mention but a few.