The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, says the federal government has commenced the automation of the nation’s border management system for effective surveillance.

Mr Tunji-Ojo stated this during an inspection tour of the ongoing installation of the command and control centre of the project at the Nigeria Immigration Service headquarters on Thursday in Abuja.

“The border management solution project that is ongoing has been excellent so far. We have gone very far at the moment and if I am not mistaken, we have gone 60 per cent already. The project is not just about the air border solution, which is the command and control centre, but even the land border as well as airports and sea border surveillance put together.

“Especially our land borders just as we are all aware are more porous. So, what we are simply doing now is automating the whole surveillance system for effective management,” he said.

Mr Tunji-Ojo said that by the time the project became fully operational, the security personnel in charge would be able to view whatever was happening at the borders from the command and control centre.

He said this would also help make the borders as interactive as possible and safer for everyone.

Earlier, NIS comptroller-general Kemi Nandap said the agency’s officers in charge of the project had already been trained for a more secure border. 

She expressed optimism that the project’s commencement would go a long way toward addressing crimes and criminality on the borders.

“Only last week, I was in Kebbi to sensitise them on it and that we are going to work together and collaborate with each other for effective border management for the benefit of all,“ she said.

(NAN)