CROSS-BORDER CRIMES AND REGIONAL SECURITY IN WEST AFRICA: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF ECOWAS' STRATEGIES IN COMBATING ARMS TRAFFICKING AND ORGANIZED CRIME IN NIGERIA AND BURKINA FASO (2019–2024)

Abstract

The research investigated the persistent challenge of cross-border crimes in West Africa, which continually undermined regional security, political stability, and socio-economic development. It examined how the porous nature of borders, weak institutional capacities, and political instability in member states created enabling environments for transnational criminal networks to flourish. Despite the establishment of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the adoption of various regional security frameworks, crimes such as arms trafficking, terrorism, and human smuggling continued to escalate, posing grave threats to the goals of regional integration. The study therefore critically examined ECOWAS’s strategies for addressing cross-border crimes, with a comparative analysis of Nigeria and Burkina Faso. It was grounded in the Regional Security Complex Theory and Transnational Organized Crime Theory. Methodologically, the research adopted a qualitative and explanatory design, employing content analysis and semi-structured interviews with security personnel and journalists. The findings revealed that ECOWAS, despite formulating robust legal and institutional frameworks—such as the 2006 Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALWs) and the 2013 Counter-Terrorism Strategy—was unable to uniformly enforce these measures across member states. The study concluded that ECOWAS’s strategies achieved limited success due to inconsistent implementation, weak member-state compliance, and inadequate coordination between national and regional security agencies. It recommended strengthening regional intelligence-sharing mechanisms, enhancing border security infrastructure, and improving political will among member states to enforce ECOWAS protocols. The study also advocated increased funding, localized strategy adaptation, and stronger synergy between civil society, state actors, and regional bodies.