Our residents are safer now – Aregbesola

Shina Abubakar – Osogbo

Interior Minister Rauf Aregbesola revealed that the country’s borders are now more secure with the deployment of a data entry system at all land entry points.

He added, however, that the reopening of land borders did not allow the movement of contraband goods into the country, saying all goods that are not produced in the ECOWAS sub-regional countries remain banned.

Aregbesola, while answering questions from a journalist in Ilesa over the weekend, said the government could not stop the movement of people, especially citizens of sub-regional states, but ensure proper and effective documentation entries into the country.

He explained that with the deployment of the Migration Data Analysis System (MIDAS) at the country’s land borders, data on migrants, including Nigerians, would be effectively documented through the capture of biometric data.

“Nigeria is a member of ECOWAS and the essence of the sub-regional organization and its key factor is the free movement of people.

The passport we carry is the ECOWAS passport now not even the Nigeria passport which means that as Nigerians we are ECOWAS citizens and as such there would be natural movements of people across states, but they must be documented.

“The initial border closure is not intended to restrict movement because this movement is natural, but now that four land borders have been reopened, we must have the document of people entering our borders, including Nigerians.

“For this, we have deployed a technology called MIDAS, (Migration Information Data Analysis System) with this technology in the four borders that we have reopened, it will register anyone who passes either a Nigerian or none across our borders and once that you registered, it’s for life.

“It captures individuals’ biometrics and other details in a central database. No one can be anonymous anymore via our border posts.
However, contraband items are still prohibited, but these items are foreign.

“In fact, boiled rice is eaten, I think in Nigeria and probably in Ghana outside of ECOWAS countries, so what is not produced in all these states remains illegal”

Explaining the rationale for the emphasis on the National Identity Number (NIN), the Minister said that producing the card comes at a huge cost to Nigeria, while the NIN which is the most important aspect compared to the number of citizens, can be used without spending scarce resources on production. Cards.

Speaking about his alleged strange relationship with his successor, the former governor of Osun State said he had no disagreement with Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, saying he had deliberately stuck to the state gap to allow the new government to take hold and that now was the time to galvanize politics. activities in the state, it would be more common to interact with people.

“I clarified the issue of the split, that I had no break with anyone, yes I’ve been away from here for quite a while just to allow the new government to settle in and with what I saw, I will now engage with people.

“The party is strong and I will come here more often to strengthen it further because we need it,” he added.

Vanguard News Nigeria

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