Borno Govt, NIS partner on enhancing border surveillance, control
The Borno Government is to partner with the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to enhance border surveillance and control ahead of the forthcoming general election.
The Deputy Governor of Borno, Alhaji Usman Kadafur, made this known when he received the Comptroller-General of NIS, Mr. Isah Jere, at the government House in Maiduguri.
Kadafur said that effectiveness in the management of the North East borders, would mitigate the insecurity challenges particularly the proliferation of arms by criminal groups.
“We don’t have problems with our neighbors. We have always enjoyed peaceful and cordial relationships but as times change, we are faced with a lot of challenges represented by Boko Haram insurgency. so there is a need to checkmate these nefarious activities.
“If the borders are properly manned, the proliferation of small arms will be curtailed.
” The Borno government is therefore committed towards partnering with the command to facilitate your border protection efforts especially the restoring of commands within the border’s towns.
“You are a crucial partner especially now that we are in the early recovery and resettlement stage.
“We are rehabilitating repentant members of the terrorists as well as resettling IDPs back to their respective Local government areas and in all that we are doing, we need the support of the immigration.
Earlier, Jere said that securing the borders within the North East has become imperative, noting that Borno was the only state in Nigeria bordering three countries.
“Borno has border line of 894km and the borders are open and porous.
“We are soliciting for your support in the areas of logistics, especially additional operational vehicles to enabled us enforced border closure patrol. Election is just by the corner. It is our prayers that we have peaceful election.
The comptroller acknowledged the peace restoration efforts of the state government and the security agencies in the state noting that state had now witnessed emerging peace.
He also thanked the governor for assisting the service in the state especially in the provision of accommodation in Banki, Bama and Kwaya Kusar LGAs.
