Business
Airports: Reps Probe Lack Of Biometric Machines
The House of Representatives in Abuja on Tuesday directed its Committees on Aviation and Interior to investigate the absence of biometric data capture machines at the nation’s entry points.
This resolution followed a motion by Rep. Emmanuel Ekon (PDP–Akwa-Ibom) and 23 others, which was unanimously adopted without debate when it was put to vote by the Deputy Speaker.
Leading the debate, Ekon said there was need to have biometric data capture machines in all airports in the country.
He observed that many lives and properties had been lost due to the security challenges facing all the ports in the country.
According to him, security problem at ports have been linked to activities of illegal immigrants, who have carried out crimes like bombing, kidnapping and other anti-social conducts in Nigeria.
He said that the security agencies appeared to be at a cross road as they found it difficult to rise to the occasion of containing the activities of criminal elements in the country.
He observed that the criminals had continued to unleash mayhem on the innocent citizens of the country.
Ekon said that security biometrics data capture machines that would have assisted in establishing the identity of people entering the country were not installed at the various airports across the nation.
He said the absence of such machine at airports was a setback to the nation.
The legislator said with the development, “foreign elements with ulterior motives may take advantage of these lapses to harm the country and its citizens.’’
He said that relevant government agencies saddled with the responsibility of providing security at the airports and the nation’s borders had not been forthcoming in the discharge of their duties.
He, therefore, urged the house to call on the relevant committees to investigate the matter.
Meanwhile, the house has received a letter from President Goodluck Jonathan forwarding a bill on Nigeria Police Reform Trust Fund for the consideration.