There are no fewer than 1,497 illegal routes that lead into Nigeria. The startling disclosure was made earlier today by Nigeria’s Interior Minister, Abba Moro.
Mr. Moro spoke in Abuja while briefing the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the party's national headquarters.
In order to curb the security crisis associated with porous borders, the minister said Nigeria needed more than $244 million. The fund would go into installation of electronic surveillance round the nation's borders.
The minister added that the crisis of insecurity in the country was being compounded by the operation of 30 illegal guard companies in the country. He announced that only the operator of one of them had been arrested.
Mr. Moro also revealed that some scam artists “opened a website in the name of the ministry which they have been using to dupe unsuspecting members of the public.
” He added: “One of them even used my name to open such [a] website, but we have been able to arrest him somewhere in Asokoro, Abuja, when I asked one of his would-be victims to play along with him.”
The minister underscored the fact that Nigeria’s vast borders were porous, making it possible for the 1,497 illegal routes to exist.
"We are making efforts to procure appropriate modern technology to be installed along our borders and we are collaborating the USAt and a private Chinese company on this
"With the assistance of the US State Department, we realised that some components of the offer we got from the private firm was contained in what the State Department would be offering us.
"When we have done this, the temptation of illegal entry into Nigeria will be reduced"
No comments:
Post a Comment