Interior Minister: We will Deploy Technology to Protect Our Borders

Michael Olugbode in Abuja

The Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has revealed the plan of the Federal Government to deploy technology to effectively secure Nigeria’s borders.

He disclosed this Tuesday in Abuja during a news conference.

Tunji-Ojo said: “We need to secure our borders and we need to ensure that all borders, either land, air or sea are all protected.

“We have to look into technology to complement and consolidate what we are already doing.

“These are something that must be done. I have the instruction of Mr. President to make sure that there are reforms.”

He also promised that the issue of visas and passport delays and bottlenecks would be looked into in order to sanitize the system.

The minister said: “Nigerians, including those in Diaspora must be treated with respect in all our passport offices.

“Foreigners should be able to come to Nigeria based on merit. It can no longer be business as usual.”

Tunji-Ojo, who acknowledged that fire is a serious disaster, said the Federal Fire Service must optimize its processes.

According to him, “For the Federal Fire Service, the response time, we are going to look into that. I know you have your challenges, but I am going to work with you to tackle them.”

He also said he would work with critical stakeholders on the Administration of Criminal Justice Act.

“We have to look at how to decongest the custodial centres and effectively integrate ex-convicts back into the society. Our custodial centres must become places of hope,” he said.

The minister urged the staff of the ministry and those in the services under the ministry to put in extra shift to ensure Nigeria is safe for all Nigerians, insisting that: “Nigerians must be able to sleep and close their eyes.”

He told the staff that: “If we need to borrow an hour to make it 25 hours, we have to do that, we must work round the clock for Nigerians to sleep with both eyes closed.”