The Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has set up an Integrated Border Governance Committee, a 13-man committee to identify the needs assessment of the nation’s borders.
This is contained in a statement by the Deputy Director of Press and Public Relations in the ministry, Mr Afonja Ajibola, on Saturday in Abuja.
According to him, Tunji-Ojo set up the committee during a presentation on border management and control by a consultant in Abuja.
Afonja said that the minister instructed that the committee should endeavour to have a robust deliberation and create an implementable border management plan to secure the country.
Membership of the committee is composed of 13 people drawn from the ministry as well as its agencies.
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The committee has the Director, Joint Services in the ministry, as the Chairman, Director, Planing Research and Statistics and the Director, Legal.
Other members include: the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Federal Fire Service (FFS), Border Community Development Agency, Community Boundary Commission and its consultant.
The minister explained that the most important thing 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 Nigerians at borderlines attending schools in the neighboring foreign countries.
Tunji-Ojo said that the loyalty of those Nigerians would naturally be with the foreign countries, adding that how then would anyone expect Nigeria to achieve the desired security.
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“It is high time the country stopped paying a lip service to border management. I therefore, converse that enough budgetary allocation be made available for the provision of social infrastructure” he said.
The minister added that enough budgetary allocation must be provided to these contiguous border communities to enable them have a sense of belonging.
Meanwhile, the committee has 18 weeks to conclude its assignment.
