The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved N52 billion for e-border solution to monitor the country’s porous borders.
The weekly meeting was presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, Interior Minister Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (retd) said the contract would cover 86 border posts and all the 1,400 illegal routes being used for smuggling and other crimes.
He briefed alongside Budget and National Planning Udoma Udoma, Water Resources Minister Sulieman Adamu and Information and Culture Lai Mohammed.
He said the pilot system has already been installed at two border posts, disclosing that the information would be available real-time 24 hours a day and seven days a week.
Dambazau said: “Council approved N52 billion for eBorder solution. This process started in 2012 but we picked it up to move forward when we came in. The project is to be completed within the next two years.
“There is a pilot project already which has been very successful; it was installed to monitor two borders.
“This project is going to cover 86 border posts in the country. We will be able to also monitor 1,400 illegal routes that are used for smuggling and all kinds of cross border criminal activities.
“The Nigeria Immigration Service will work very closely with other services. When it comes to response, with the Air Force and the Army units deployed near the borders, with the Customs in terms of smuggling. The information will be available real-time 24/7,” he said.
