The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo said the government has made conscious efforts to improve border security, adding that it is important for national security.
He said this when the Director of the United States Mission in Nigeria, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, Mr. Jason Smith, paid a working visit to the Minister in Abuja during the week.
According to the Minister, “An area that is very key is Border control. The Ministry is exclusively in charge of border control. And Border management is key to national security.
If you cannot control your border you will never be able to control the security of your nation.”
He commended the working relationship between Nigeria and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the United States Mission in Nigeria, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs.
The Minister further solicited cooperation in training officers on border control and correctional facilities.
He said; “We need training of our officers working at the borders, because they are our border force. If there is support we can have in terms of training, equipment, knowledge transfer, if you help us in capacity building especially for our NIS officers, you will be helping us to safeguard our country.
“We are your allies; we need your support in knowledge transfer, our borders are too porous, let’s keep it safe.”
On the issue of identity management and Correctional facilities, Dr. Tunji-Ojo mentioned the recent review of the CIMS ( Corrections Information Management System).
The review according to him would integrate the whole inmates’ records, help the administration of the criminal justice system , and achieve solutions on the basis of identity management.
He assured the international Agency’s director that their investments would be properly utilised and yield the desired results.
Earlier in his remarks, the director of the United States Mission in Nigeria, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, Jason Smith said his team was in the ministry to thank the minister for participating in the recent Bi-national Commission.
He said; “You raised a concept that we want to follow up on. You mentioned an interest in integrating the Corrections information management system into a broader information management data system across the government; we are already working on something related and we want to brief you on it and see how we can coordinate and collaborate”.
