Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the Minister of Interior, has established a 13-member committee tasked with conducting a comprehensive needs assessment of the nation’s borders.
The committee comprises representatives from various government entities, including the Ministry, Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Federal Fire Service, Border Community Development Agency, Community Boundary Commission, as well as an external consultant.
This committee, known as the “Integrated Border Governance Committee,” has been entrusted by the minister with the responsibility of formulating a robust plan for the effective security of Nigeria’s borders.
The minister has provided the committee with an 18-week timeframe to fulfill its designated objectives.
The decision to create this committee came following a presentation on border management and control by a consultant in the minister’s office, as per a statement released on Saturday by Afonja Ajibola, the Ministry’s Director of Press.
It partly read,” Tunji-Ojo instructed that the committee should endeavor to have a robust deliberation and create a border management plan that is implementable to secure the country.
“The Minister said what is of importance to him about border management is the aspect of internal security which he said is a massive task that requires the synergy of all critical stakeholders.
“He painted a scenario of the Nigerians community at the borderline attending school in a neighboring foreign country. Tunji-Ojo, added that the loyalty of that Nigerian would naturally be with the foreign country, he then queried, how would the country achieve security.
“The Minister said the country must stop paying a lip service to border management. He said that enough budgetary allocation must be made available for the provision of social infrastructures to these contiguous border communities for the people to feel belonged to their country.”
