The Comptroller General, Nigeria Immigration Services (NIS), Kemi Nandap, has said that Nigerian borders are now safer than before as the service deployed technology across the nation’s entry points.
Nandap stated this when she paid a courtesy visit to Gov. Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau on Wednesday in Jos, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
The comptroller added that the service had adopted some innovative initiatives aimed at ensuring the safety of all land borders and Nigerians.
‘’We are leveraging technology, innovations and other laudable initiatives, and I can assure you that our borders are now safer than before,’’ she said
Nandap also promised to resuscitate Departments of Immigrations (DIOs) in the Local Government Areas (LGAs) to ensure the safety of Nigerians particularly those in the rural areas.
E-border solutions
Earlier this month, the NIS deployed advanced e-border solutions to over 80 crossing points across the country in its ongoing effort to enhance border security and curb trans-border crimes.
- Nandap noted that the deployment marked the first phase of the e-border project, a critical step in modernizing border surveillance and control in Nigeria.
- According to her, the e-border system provides real-time, 24/7 monitoring and intelligence, allowing the NIS to track better and manage border activities.
“As of today, we have deployed e-border solutions to more than 80 crossing points, and the second phase will soon commence. Our goal is to capture as many crossing points as possible, using technology to assist our officers in the field,” Nandap stated.
- Nandap further revealed that Nigeria had over 190 crossing points, and the NIS was committed to covering them all, including the unmanned areas that were often exploited for illegal crossings and irregular migration.
- She noted that the unmanned areas are where the service faces significant challenges, with illegal crossings and irregular migrants.
“We are determined to address this by deploying technology that will help us monitor and secure those areas. Anyone entering the country will be identified, and we will know exactly when and where they arrive,” she said.
Nandap mentioned that the e-border system would facilitate collaboration with other security agencies by enabling the sharing of critical intelligence.
What you should know
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved N52 billion to purchase the e-border surveillance systems for the country in 2019. The project was part of efforts to ensure effective monitoring of the nation’s borders through technology.
Once fully implemented, the system is expected to monitor and provide real-time information from major border posts in the country. However, the project did not start until 2022.