Cracking Down on Unauthorized Immigration: FG Launches 24/7 Airport Surveillance

 

FG Commences 24/7 Surveillance at International Airports

“So, what it means now is that it's no longer subjective profiling. What we do now is objective profiling, just...”

The Nigeria Immigration Service has launched a new visa policy, expanding the previous six classes of visas to 79 classes. This move aims to support the country's Economic Recovery and Growth Plan by ensuring that local visa policies reflect global best practices. The new policy includes visa exemptions for citizens of ECOWAS member states, visa abolishment agreement countries, international organizations, and reciprocity visa waiver agreement countries.

Nigeria's Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has announced the launch of a command and control center to tackle illegal immigration. This center began operating 24/7 on November 11, following an earlier announcement in October about the government's plans to establish it.

The center's primary goal is to strengthen border security by conducting thorough screenings of individuals entering Nigeria through its land borders. This move is part of the government's efforts to address irregular migration, ensuring tighter control and enhanced national security.

Features of the Command and Control Center:

Round-the-Clock Operations: The center operates 24/7 to monitor and respond to immigration issues.

Comprehensive Screening Processes: Individuals entering through land borders will undergo thorough screenings.

Tighter Border Control: The center aims to enhance national security by reducing irregular migration.

This development demonstrates the Nigerian government's commitment to addressing immigration challenges and securing its borders.

“We did the induction programme about two weeks ago. Just yesterday, we started the 24-hour operation of the command and control centre at Soka, the immigration headquarters in Abuja,” Tunji-Ojo said.

“All our international airports are on it. It's there, live and direct. Even our land and sea borders are being integrated there because of what we call a regular migration control centre.

“And the APIS that I promised the other time-that's the advanced passenger information system-is also live now.

“We started receiving data from KLM and a lot of others.

“So, we have started the pre-profiling of people before they come into Nigeria, taking a decision, looking and integrating, which is integrated to the criminal records system, to the Interpol, and a lot of other things I won't be able to talk deeply into. So, that is live and direct.”

“So, we have started the pre-profiling of people before they come into Nigeria, taking a decision, looking and integrating, which is integrated to the criminal records system, to the Interpol, and a lot of other things I won't be able to talk deeply into. So, that is live and direct.”

Nigeria's new command and control center enables authorities to track individuals' movements and gather vital information before they enter the country. This includes details on their current location, origin, recent movements, and travel routes. The center's advanced capabilities facilitate real-time monitoring, allowing for tighter border control and more effective management of immigration.

With this system in place, authorities can:

Monitor Movement: Track individuals' movements and locations in real-time

Verify Origin: Confirm individuals' countries or places of origin

Analyze Travel Routes: Study the paths taken by individuals to reach Nigeria

Enhance Border Security: Utilize gathered information to strengthen border control measures

This increased surveillance aims to curb illegal immigration and ensure national security.

“So, what it means now is that it's no longer subjective profiling. What we do now is objective profiling, just like you see anywhere in the world. And what we have in Nigeria, it's not just an API,” he said.

“It's an IAPI, an interactive API, which is top-notch, the best you can get anywhere in the world, and I challenge anybody to dispute that; we already have that.”

Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo has announced that Nigeria's command and control center for immigration is now fully operational. The center has been carefully designed to ensure seamless and efficient operations, from the command center to visa approval. This move is part of the government's efforts to strengthen border security and address irregular migration.

Additional Features of the Command and Control Center:

Comprehensive Planning: Every aspect of the process has been meticulously planned for smooth operations.

Visa Approval Section: Ensures efficient processing of visa applications.

Solar Power Installation: A 500kW and 0.5MW solar farm provides a steady power supply, preventing disruptions.

The center's advanced capabilities will enable real-time monitoring and data analysis, enhancing national security. With this development, Nigeria takes a significant step forward in modernizing its immigration system.