Background of the study
While the international order among states is quite strong, the world is not peaceful. In the wake of globalization and the explosion in communication technologies, new security related threats have Emerged that are to a great extent independent of national boundaries. As a result, a new kind of war is being waged in every country all over the world; this is because the primary threats to national security have changed fundamentally. They no longer spring from territorial and ideological disputes among nation states but from how far globalization, technological threats and criminal networks have grown to challenge nation states (Zalur & Zeckhauser 2002).
In Nigeria today, conflict seem persistent and intractable, moreover after a decade of complacency, we seem to be finally grasping the fact that we are fighting for survival under the shadow of catastrophic dangers. Hence, discussions on Nigerian National Security concept has evolved rapidly because the security environment in which we live is dynamic and uncertain, replete with a host of threats and challenges which are trans-national in nature that have potential to grow more deadly (Pandya & Â Laipon, 2008:39).
Emerging scenario of these trans-national threats which are irrespective of national border and which comprises of a list of different risk factors that seem unending spanning from different trans-national crimes like terrorism, human and drug trafficking, money laundering etc, to widespread environmental degradation, diseases, climate change and even political policies which might threaten our nation’s sovereignty (Brainard & Halon, 2004), has further challenged the concept of national security which now pertains to people rather than territories on one hand and development rather than military on the other hand. Now, the notion of national security captures the traditional security and human security. National security is now perceived as total security – security of life and property, security of the economy and the economic resource areas of the country, security of food and raw materials resources, of general health of the people, of environment and national integrity, and preservation of all that society considers to be important and valuable (Imobighe, 2000).
Globalization and increased technology has led to the decline of our borders which has led to the  increased vulnerability of Nigeria to there threats and endanger our national security. The Nigeria – Benin border, which is located in the west of our country, is particularly notorious for all sorts of illegal trans-border activities. For this reason, this research work will attempt to discuss Human and drug  trafficking, smuggling of goods and arms proliferation and the dangers they pose to Nigerian national security because these activities are the most common across the Nigeria – Benin border.
The dilemmas that Nigeria faces with insecurities call for critical investigation of border entry points whether they are performing their strategic functions (Willie, 2008).