…Says FG is set to unveil world class surveillance technology across 4,047km borders
By Dele Ogbodo
The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, on Thursday assured that Nigerians living within the country’s 4,047km borders can now go to bed with their two eyes closed even as he expressed readiness that President Bola Tinubu, would on May 29, unveil the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) state-of-art’s Command and Control Centre: a border management solutions for surveillance of movements within the nation’s border.
The security architecture, the Minister revealed is infused with interactive features will no doubt secure the country through surveillance of all sorts of movements into and out of the country through its 4,047km border points.
Fielding questions from the media after inspecting the centre, with the e-gate solution, at the Headquarters of NIS, in Abuja, Tunji-Ojo, said, we are waiting for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as he has been notified of the readiness of the centre.
The surveillance technology, the Minister added will be a gift for President Tinubu, as he marks his one year anniversary as President of Nigeria, adding: “I’m happy that all of you are here today, you can see that it is 100% completed and we are waiting for the President and I’m sure this is going to be a token from the Ministry of Interior to the President on his first year anniversary.”
According to him, the command and control centre would secure the nation’s 4,047 kilometre borders, adding, that this is phase one (1), we will soon start with phase 2 and we will do in a way that the 4,047 km of Nigeria by the Grace of God will be secured.
So, the journey of thousand miles starts with a step and so we have started that so that Nigerians can sleep with their eyes closed, he said.
On the border management solution, he said: “I can tell you that we have gone very far with about 60% completion compared to what we saw at the other time which was where I went today has to do with the air border solution the Command and Control Border Centre, the e-gate that we have
“Here, we are not just talking about our air borders or airports, we are also talking about our land border and of course even the land borders just as you know are more porous than the marine or sea borders.
“What we are doing now is to automating the entire surveillance system in our border space and it is about 60% completed as we just saw it now and it is real time can we can view a lot of our borders at the moment.
“The simple truth is that we are automating the entire process and by October 2024, the phase one (1) of the whole border surveillance system would have been automated and completed from here we view, from here we can see far away in kilometres before people enter or come into Nigeria.
“We have been able to put in a new security architecture. And also there is a solution that enables people from border areas to be able to communicate directly if there is emergency or they can report issues or there is also solution in terms that we not just take their report or complaints and we can swing into action at our various border posts.”
According to the Minister, the nation’s borders will now be made more interactive and as safe as possible, explaining that in the larger perspective, the belief of President Tinubu, is that a secured border is a safe nation.
He said: “So securing our border is very key in terms of securing our nation and this particular administration under President Tinubu is not leaving any stone unturned in the quest of making a Nigeria a safe country for its people to be able to sleep with their two eyes closed.
“I can tell you that anybody who thinks illegality can be perpetrated within our border space has to be ready and prepared because this is renewed hope.
“We are renewing the hope in all aspects of our national including our borders area and so we will have a secured border and by the Grace of God will comparable to some of the best in the world.”
In her remark, the Comptroller General, Ms. Kemi Nandap, said officers have been trained on how to properly manned, stressing…we are ready to go.
On people living in the border communities, she said: “I was in Kebbi State last week, to sensitize and tell them NIS is ready to work together with them, adding that part of that is making sure that we have a communication line with them.
“They can call in if they have information because as you know they mingle with most of these criminals because they stay amongst them and so getting information from them is very crucial that is that line is open for them.”