Interior Minister Calls For Unified Regional Effort To Strengthen Border Management

Speaking at the Summit on Border Security in London on Tuesday, Tunji-Ojo stressed the importance of stronger international partnerships in addressing irregular migration and organized immigration crimes. “Collaboration among Sahel and West African nations is essential for better partnerships and efficient information sharing,” he said, highlighting the need for proactive measures to tackle border security challenges.

He emphasized the significance of data sharing and collaboration in not just solving existing problems but also preventing future ones. “We need more data exchange and improved cooperation to ensure we don’t just address the issue but prevent it from happening,” he added.

Tunji-Ojo pointed out that a key takeaway from the summit was the shift towards proactive border security, with a growing focus on criminalizing irregular migration. “Countries are now more inclined to criminalize irregular migration, and this summit presents a valuable opportunity for border control ministers to manage borders effectively and secure their nations,” he explained.

Regarding Nigeria’s efforts, the Minister noted that immigration crimes are a global issue, but international collaboration offers solutions. He mentioned that Nigeria has implemented automated border control solutions to prevent irregular migration. “Nigeria has a border control solution in place. We are not just a destination point, and we have implemented automated measures to secure our borders and eliminate irregular migration,” he stated.

Tunji-Ojo concluded by reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to combating immigration crimes with the support of global cooperation. “We cannot afford to lose the battle before we even start. With summits like this, as a united front, we will successfully tackle this menace,” he said.

The UK-hosted summit gathered over 30 global leaders, including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, to discuss critical border security issues and organized immigration crime.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) reported the arrest of 51 illegal immigrants in Nasarawa State, all from Mali. The suspects, aged between 17 and 25, were apprehended in the New Nyanya area of Karu Local Government.