London: Nigeria has called for collaboration with the Sahel and West African countries on information and data sharing for effective border control. The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made the call on Tuesday while addressing newsmen on the sidelines of the Summit on Border Security in London.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the minister emphasized the necessity for countries within the Sahel and West African sub-region to engage in better international partnerships and information dissemination. “We need more data sharing and better collaborations to make sure we don’t just solve the problem but we stop the problem from happening,” Dr. Tunji-Ojo stated.
He highlighted that the summit’s major takeaway was the importance of proactiveness rather than reactivity, as countries are becoming more committed to criminalizing irregular migration. The summit served as a platform for ministers in border control to collaborate on managing borders effectively to secure their nations.
The minister pointed out that organized immigration crimes are not isolated issues confined to a single nation but are shared problems that require shared solutions. He expressed concern over border crimes and assured that the federal government is implementing strategies to combat such issues.
Dr. Tunji-Ojo noted that Nigeria is not only a destination point for migration but has developed a border control solution, including automated measures to secure borders and end irregular migration. “We can’t afford to lose the battle before we start it, and so we know that with this kind of summit, as a united front, we will effectively combat this menace,” he assured.
He reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening immigration policies and collaborating with global partners to tackle transnational crimes such as human trafficking, smuggling, and document fraud.
The summit, as reported by NAN, brought together over 30 global leaders, including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, to discuss critical issues surrounding border control and organized immigration crime (OIC). It provided a platform for international collaboration on migration policies, security threats, and strategies to combat illegal immigration activities.