*US to provide surveillance equipment at Nigeria’s borders — Minister

By EMMA UJAH, ABUJA BUREAU CHIEF

ABUJA—The Minister of Interior, Abba Moro, has revealed that 19, 000 illegal immigrants have been arrested and repatriated by the Federal Government to rid the nation of expatriates suspected to be fueling insurgency in parts of the country.

Moro told newsmen that: “19,000 illegal immigrants have been sent out of the country and that surveillance equipment would be installed at the nation’s borders, in collaboration with the United States of America.

According to the minister, “extra-ordinary problems require extra-ordinary solutions and we will do what is necessary to address the current challenges”.

Explaining the cost implications of installing the surveillance equipment at the borders, Moro revealed that the earlier quotations by two foreign firms with the expertise to undertake the project, ZTE and Hawaei conglomerates, were in the region of about $2. 6 billion (about N405 billion).

His words, “on the cost of implementating the  surveillance equipment in our borders, we are in the process of certifying one of those that can be awarded. It is within the region of $2.6 billion and it was tendered by a Chinese firm, ZTE and Hawaei conglomerate”.

He added, however, that with the offer by America to play a role in the project, the cost would be reduced in the final analysis.

“That money may be reduced as the United States Government is also in touch with us in fighting terror and the US government has offered to provide surveillance equipment which we will deploy to the borders”.

The minister noted that checking the influx of illegal immigrants from neighbouring countries was a great challenge due to the porous borders in the Northern states but every necessary step would be taken to stop them, especially with the war on terrorism.

Massive troops deployment at the Northern borders have since been undertaken by the military authorities, following Tuesday’s declaration of State of Emergency in the three states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa.

Prisons reform

The minister also expressed the Federal Government’s determination to reform the nation’s prisons by bringing in private sector managers and decentralizing the system.

According to him, once the National Assembly amends relevant sections of the nation’s constitution which placed prisons on the exclusive list, the executive would vigorously pursue the policy in the interest of efficient prison management .

He said: “The prison service is an exclusive element of the constitution. We have repeatedly indicated the readiness of government to introduce the Public Private Partnership model in the Nigerian prison.

“We have had visits from of our friends from South Africa and the United Kingdom and we are tinkering with the idea of the decentralization of the prison system to enhance efficiency. But until the relevant sections of the constitution is amended, it remains the responsibility of the Federal Government”.

On steps to end Fulani /farmers clashes, the minister said the Federal Government would pursue the creation of grazing grounds and routes for the herdsmen and that the implementation of that policy would hopefully bring about peace.

Many innocent people have been killed in such raids in Bauchi, Plateau, Kaduna Plateau, Adamawa, Taraba, Kogi, Nassarawa Benue, in the North and even Enugu and Delta states in the south.

According to him, “the crises between the Fulani and farmers have risen to a worrisome level. It is a sad development in this country. It is an unfortunate development. Only on Tuesday I had cause to go to Benue State, Agatu Local Government Area to be precise, on account of attacks by Fulani herdsmen who attacked five local communities and it was a very sorry experience, given the number of farmers that were killed.

“What government is trying to do in that regard is to create separate routes and paths for the Fulani, as well as, grazing grounds so that once they are properly defined and they confine themselves to these routes and grazing grounds that will minimize the clashes between the Fulani and farmers”.

Moro also condemned the frequent clashes between officers of the Nigeria Police and those of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, particularly the recent killing of two Civil Defenders at a vandalized pipeline site in Lagos.

The minister declined to give details of the investigations carried out on the incident, as according to him, President Goodluck Jonathan has personally waded into the matter and therefore decided to await the outcome of that intervention before speaking further on it.

His words, “it is unfortunate that the Civil Defence and the police should clash in the first place for whatever reason. But Mr. President has intervened and we have agreed that such a thing should not happen again.”