President Muhammadu Buhari has directed that Nigerian borders be made impenetrable to foreign groups seeking to manipulate the election process or participate in other nefarious activities.
The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola made this known on Wednesday during the commissioning of the Katsina State Command Office of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and the roll-out of the Enhanced ePassport in the state.
Aregbesola said, “The order from President Muhammadu Buhari is that between now and the time that we conclude all the elections, please make our borders impregnable. They should still remain impregnable, even after the elections.
“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”.
The minister charged the NIS to live up to its fundamental responsibility of border surveillance and control as the general elections draw near.
He emphasized that the NIS’s principal mission is border control, not passport issue.
Highlighting ‘Migration management’ as another primary responsibility of the Nigeria Immigration Service. The Interior Minister said that “Nigeria Immigration Service must ensure that migrants are effectively regulated and documented, as passport issuance is complimentary.
Aregbesola further disclosed that the nation’s borders will soon be covered using the latest technology for surveillance, as electronic digital technology will be deployed to ensure constant and effective coverage of borders.
“We are deploying electronic digital technology to ensure 24/7 inch by inch surveillance of the 4,500 kilometres borderline from the eastern part to the western part including coastlines. This is one of the several achievements of President Muhammadu Buhari.
He added that “Katsina has 14 border positions manned by Immigration Personnel on the about 400km borderline, and the people of Katsina must be confident of our readiness to protect these border positions.
On his part, the Governor of Katsina State, Alh. Aminu Bello Masari, who was represented by the Secretary to the Katsina State Government, Alhaji Muntari Lawal, commended the effort of the Nigeria Immigration Service in curbing the menace of insecurity, and playing a major role in fighting banditry.
The SSG commended the Ministry of Interior for the feat achieved in successfully establishing a state Command of the Nigeria Immigration Service in Katsina.