The House of Representatives has hinted it might review existing laws such as the Immigration Act, the Customs and Excise Management Act, and related statutes to reflect emerging global best practices and security realities.

The Speaker, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, made this known on Tuesday in Abuja at the inaugural meeting and interactive session of the ad-hoc committee on border security.

He therefore called on all relevant agencies to foster greater co-operation, eliminate duplication of roles, and develop unified operational frameworks to secure the country’s border.

Tajudeen said the parliament remained unwavering in its commitment to strengthen Nigeria’s border governance through effective legislation, rigorous oversight, and adequate budgetary support.

He noted the House was determined to ensure that all appropriated funds meant for border security are judiciously utilized and the principles of accountability, transparency, and efficiency upheld.

The Speaker emphasized the findings and recommendations of this Committee would guide the House in initiating legislative reforms and policy interventions to modernize border security frameworks.

He stated: “The task of securing our borders is a multi-dimensional and multi-agency responsibility. It demands synergy, transparency, and patriotism from all institutions of government involved.

“Border security cannot be achieved in isolation, it requires a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach – one that harmonizes the efforts of the military, paramilitary, intelligence, and law enforcement agencies; promotes intelligence sharing; and ensures that communities at the borders are active partners in safeguarding our nation.

“I therefore call upon all relevant agencies to foster greater co-operation, eliminate duplication of roles, and develop unified operational frameworks. Similarly, the welfare and training of personnel deployed at border posts must be prioritized, as no agency can perform optimally without motivated officers.”

“This may include reviewing existing laws such as the Immigration Act, the Customs and Excise Management Act, and related statutes to reflect emerging global best practices and security realities.”

Earlier, the Chairman of the committee, Hon. Isa Anka, said the inaugural event was a demonstration of their collective commitment to securing the sovereignty and ensuring the prosperity of our great nation.

He stressed that Nigeria is a vast country that covers 923,768 square kilometres with approximately 36,450 kilometres of land and sea borders and borders Benin to the west, Niger and Chad to the North, and Cameroon to the East.

According to him, in recent years, we have witnessed an escalation in illegal cross-border activities that threaten our national security such as illegal arms smuggling, human trafficking and drug smuggling etc.

“It is noteworthy that our borders are porous, with many unofficial routes for smuggling goods.”

Anka added that border security agencies suffer from inadequate funding, poor logistics, ineffective and outdated surveillance equipment and shortage of personnel.

He emphasized that a lot of the nation’s borders are located in difficult terrains like thick forests, distant rivers, mountains and deserts, making them tough to police effectively.

The chairman recalled that a recent report from Research Gate highlighted that out of Nigeria’s 1,978 entry points only 84 are officially manned by security operatives, leaving 1,894 illegal routes.

He said this is a disturbing statistic and shows a gap in our defences. (THISDAY)