FG Awards Contract for Electronic Border Surveillance System

Francis Sardauna in Katsina

The federal government has awarded contract for the installation of electronic border surveillance system to monitor the nation’s land borders in order to checkmate illegal migration.

The Minster of Interior, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, disclosed this yesterday while inaugurating a newly constructed Katsina State Command headquarters of the Nigerian Immigration Service in Katsina, the state capital.

He said the electronic digital technology would be deployed by the federal government across the nation’s border to ensure 24/7 surveillance of 5,000 kilometres border lines from the eastern part to western part of the country.

Aregbesola explained that the electronic surveillance posts were meant to strengthen existing immigration checks, enhance effective migration management as well as to boost the security of the country.

He said: “We are upgrading the capacity of Nigeria Immigration Service to effectively control our borders. We are deploying electronic digital technology to ensure 24/7 by each surveillance of 5,000 kilometres border lines from the eastern part to western part.

“We may not be able to complete it before the end of this administration but we have already awarded the contract. Very soon from his office (CG) whoever is there then will be able to see what is happening anytime in any part of our border position. Nigerians must know that this is one of the several achievements of President Muhammadu Buhari.”

He said President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the Nigeria Immigration Service to ensure that the nation’s borders were impregnable before the general election in order to prevent non-Nigerians from illegally participating from the forthcoming electoral process.

The minister noted that the major and primary responsibility of the officers and men of the Nigeria Immigration Service was to secure the nation’s borders not passport issuance, “and that is the aspect of the service that is least appreciated by most of you.

“Most of the ranks and files of your service and middle level officers do not really appreciate that border security is your primary responsibility. And I must say now that the order from President Muhammadu Buhari is that between now and the time we conclude all the elections, you must make our borders impregnable.

“We don’t want a situation whereby those who are not qualified to vote in Nigeria will come into our nation to illegally participate in the process. Your head has addressed the nation to say that the service is prepared to live upto the directive from Mr. President to ensure that our borders are fervently secure to prevent illegal elements from coming to create problems for us during the election and illegally participate”.

He, therefore, tasked the management of the Nigeria Immigration Service to checkmate illegal migration, regulate and document all migrants coming into the country for legitimate businesses.

Comptroller-General of the NIS, Mr. Isah Jere-Idris, who spoke earlier, said the inauguration of the command headquarters reaffirmed the NIS commitment and readiness in ensuring that the welfare of its officers and men are adequately taken care off.