The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced the arrest of 10 individuals listed on INTERPOL's watch list as they attempted to enter the country. This was disclosed by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, during a press briefing in Abuja.
The arrests were made possible through the newly inaugurated Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) Technology Innovation Complex, which was officially opened by President Bola Tinubu. The complex is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities designed to enhance border security and immigration management.
“In the last couple of days, there were 10 people who were on the INTERPOL and immigration wanted list who were apprehended in one week,” Minister Tunji-Ojo stated. He emphasized that under the new leadership, Nigeria is now a "no-go area for any criminal element."
The NIS Technology Innovation Complex features a command and control center, an NIS Data center, an ECOWAS biometric card production center, and a 0.5KW solar power plant.
These facilities are intended to assess the risk levels of incoming travelers, detect irregular migration patterns, and monitor unmanned borders across the nation.
Minister Tunji-Ojo highlighted the financial benefits of the new technology, noting that it would save Nigeria over N300 million annually. “We decided to do an end-to-end solution. One that has an energy solution to power this facility,” he explained, referring to the solar power plant that supports the complex.
President Tinubu praised the initiative, stating that the complex will help Nigeria harness technology to drive development and improve its international reputation. “What you have achieved has given this country a great reputation not just within ECOWAS, but amongst other comity of nations," he remarked.
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