Nigeria To Combat Cross Border Banditry Electronically, Says Minister

The Nigerian Government is deploying automated border management solutions across the country’s vast borders in an effort to combat cross-border banditry and irregular migration.

Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Minister of Interior, made the announcement on Thursday in Abuja after inspecting the e-border management centre and the Command and Control Centre for airport electronic gates.

The Minister stated that, while the e-Border project was over 60% completed, the e-Gates Command and Control Centre is now 100% complete and ready for President Bola Tinubu to commission. Both centres are located at the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) headquarters in Abuja.

After the inspection, the Minister told journalists: “We have come a long way in terms of border management solutions. At the moment, I believe we have completed 60 percent of the deployment because what we saw the other time concerned the air border solution, which is the Command and Control Centre and the e-Gates that we have. But we are not just talking about air borders or airports; we are also talking about land borders, which, as we all know, are more porous – both land and sea borders.

“What we are currently doing is automating the entire surveillance system in our border space in real time; we can view a large portion of our borders at this time, but I will not reveal any more information. But the simple truth is that we are automating the entire process, and I believe that by October, Phase 1 of the entire border surveillance system will have been completed, and we will be able to see kilometres away from the border before people enter Nigeria.

“There is also a solution that allows people in border areas to communicate directly in an emergency. They can report problems, and there are solutions to how we do not just ignore their reports or complaints, but also take action.

“We want to make our borders as interactive and safe as possible because, in the long run, Mr. President believes that a secure border is a secure nation. So, securing our borders is critical to securing our nation, and President Bola Tinubu’s administration is working hard to make Nigeria a safe country where people can sleep with their two eyes closed.

“But I can tell you that anyone who believes he can commit illegal acts within our border space should be prepared to face the consequences. We are renewing Nigerians’ hopes in all aspects of their lives. This is only the first phase; Phase 2 will begin shortly. We will do it in such a way that Nigeria’s entire 4,447-kilometer border is secure. A thousand-mile journey begins with one step. We have started, and we will not stop until Nigerians can sleep with their two eyes closed.”

The Minister stated that the Command and Control Centre for the e-Gates had been completed and would be commissioned soon.

He revealed: “We are waiting for Mr. President. We have already notified the president, and I am pleased that the media has seen the location and knows it is completely ready to go,” he said.

Kemi Nandap, Comptroller General of the Immigration Service, stated that the officers and men are highly motivated and are currently receiving extensive training on e-solutions.

She stated, “We are more than 60% done with border management solutions, and our officers and men are currently being trained.” “We are prepared, and our officers are highly motivated,” she said.

The CGIS explained that the border communities have been educated on how to collaborate with the service, and that the NIS has established a communication channel with the communities in order to obtain relevant information from them.