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Akinwande Soji-Ojo
The Federal Government has promised to secure the country by putting measures in place to end the movement of illegal immigrants into Nigeria.
Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, stated this when the Director of the Bureau of Public Service Reforms, Dasuki Arabi, paid him a courtesy visit.
A statement issued on Saturday by the Director of Press in the Ministry, Afonja Ajibola, noted that the minister said the era of aliens easily entering the country with fake travel documents must stop.
“The minister assured all that he is working seriously on efficient ways at securing Nigeria’s borders, saying a situation where illegal aliens easily find their ways into the country often with fake travel documents has to be stopped.
“In his view, Nigeria cannot be secured if its borders are not secured,” the statement said.
He also said the ministry was ready to partner with the bureau in proffering solutions to the nation’s security challenges, especially in securing the nation’s borders.
“I am ready to actively collaborate with the Bureau of Public Service Reforms to find solutions to our security challenges, ” he was quoted as saying.
Earlier, Arabi explained that his agency is mandated by law to initiate, coordinate, and ensure full implementation of federal government reform policies.
He also said Nigeria’s public service reforms are anchored on four pillars, the first of which is aimed at providing an enabling environment at both institutional and governmental levels to secure Nigeria.
According to him, the second pillar, which is socio-economic, sets targets to meet in the area of security.
The third pillar, which is on public financial management reforms, relates to IPPIS, PMS, single accounts, and other finance software that has been put in place to promote transparency in government.
“The fourth pillar relates to the reform of the Civil Service Administration itself; which involves training of security-related officers in fire, civil defence, immigration, and correctional services,”he said.
Arabi added that such training also focuses on officers still in service and those preparing to retire from service.