Immigration Wants Tight Security At Blue Borders

The Acting Comptroller General of Immigration, Isah Jere Idris, has made a case for some deliberate actions to improve the current security architecture across the nation’s Blue Borders.
He opined that the deployment of ICT solutions in border security had become inevitable for the country and called for enhanced funding.
A statement made availability to our correspondent in Lagos and  e-signed by National Public Relations Officer NIS, Amos Okpu, said the acting Comptroller General made this known during a working visit to the Service’s Blue Border Formations in Oron and Ibaka areas of Akwa Ibom State.
He stated that the rising volume of migratory activities along the nation’s international waterways measuring over 853 kilometres requires that a closer attention is devoted to the sector for improved surveillance.
According to him, the waterways of Oron and Ibaka areas, for instance, are accessible to countries such as Mali, Benin, Togo, Ghana and Cameroun, hence concerted efforts should be made to equip all the agencies along that corridor for good security cover.
During the tour, the acting Comptroller General paid courtesy visits to the traditional institutions in the border communities where he solicited for their cooperation especially in information sharing to ensure effective border security.
At the palace of the paramount ruler of the Oron nation, His Royal Majesty Odiong Edet Akan, the acting Comptroller General stated that “We have come to realize that no security/military agency can achieve enduring peace and order anywhere in the country without the partnership of the traditional rulers and members of the local communities.
He recalled that the traditional rulers had played great roles in the nation’s security arrangement during the pre and post-colonial eras and called for a re-visit of the roles of traditional rulers in the nation’s security architecture.
Speaking earlier the paramount ruler of the Oron nation, stated that members of his communities have been and will continue to be very supportive to the Immigration Service and called for sustenance of the existing relationship.
The acting Comptroller General later proceeded to Ibaka Control Post where he inspected the operational areas and a jetty under construction.
He harped that when completed the jetty will impact positively on operational activities at the control and urged the personnel to continue to demonstrate strong commitment to duty.