The President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria on Tuesday ordered the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to enhance border surveillance and control ahead of the forthcoming general election.
This is contained in a statement by interior minister Rauf Aregbesola’s media aide Sola Fasure. MrAregbesola conveyed the president’s directive while inaugurating the Katsina NIS command office and the roll-out of the enhanced e-passport.
Mr Aregbesola said;
“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 the president 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.”
“We are deploying electronic digital technology to ensure 24/7 inch-by-inch surveillance of the 4,500km borderline from the eastern part to the western part, including coastlines. This is one of the several achievements of the president’s administration,”
According to the minister, NIS’ primary assignment is border control, not passport issuance. Mr Aregbesola however, said the President’s order is between now and the period that Nigeria concludes all the elections, the NIS should make the country’s borders impregnable, even after the elections.
