President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to tighten border surveillance and control at Nigerian borders ahead of the forthcoming 2023 general elections.
This was disclosed in a statement on Tuesday, issued in Abuja by Sola Fasure, the Media Adviser to the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola while inaugurating the Katsina NIS command office, which coincided with the roll-out of the enhanced e-Passport in the state.
“President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered that Nigerian borders should be made impenetrable to foreign bodies who might want to come in and manipulate the election process or engage in other nefarious activities.”
“The order from President Muhammadu Buhari is that between now and the time we will conclude elections, you must make sure our borders are secured,” Aregbesola said.
The minister directed officers to ensure that illegal immigrants do not create problems during and after the elections.
Aregbesola also charged them with ensuring the documentation of all migrants.
He said that Katsina State had 400 kilometres of border lines and 14 border positions which the Service needed to protect.
In the same vein, he disclosed that the government was upgrading the capacity of the NIS to control the nation’s borders effectively.
“We are deploying electronic digital technology to ensure 24/7 surveillance of the 5,000 kilometres border lines,” the Minister added.
Aregbesola added that the Federal Government has already awarded the digital technology contract that will enable the Comptroller-General to see what is happening anytime at any border point.
The Secretary to the Katsina State Government, Muntari Lawal, who represented the state governor, Aminu Masari, commended the NIS for the project and affirmed the administration’s willingness to support the Service to secure the nation’s borders.
