Nigeria’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved $170 million for the provision of electronic devices at the country’s borders.
Briefing journalists after the meeting, which was presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in the State House, the Minister of Interior, Lt. General Abdulraman Dambazzau (rtd), said on Thursday in Abuja that it was absolutely impossible to effectively safeguard the porous border.
According to him, only the installation of technological devices could guarantee effective monitoring of the borders.
The minister said the approval was the fallout of a Memorandum of Understanding that he presented to the council.
He added that when executed, the project would be effective in 86 border posts and foster the monitoring of 1,400 illegal routes through which smuggling and other cross-border criminal activities are usually perpetrated.
“You will recall that when we came, I made the observation that our borders are very porous and diverse and that it is impossible to man these borders physically.
“Therefore, there is the need for modern technology to be able to monitor our borders. We also thought of the capacity to respond to emergencies at the borders,’’ he said.
MM/GIK/APA