Illegal Migration: Immigration To Deploy Drones In Borders

Nigeria Immigration Service ( NIS), is set to  deployed drones to monitor  and protect the nation’s porous borders.

The comptroller-general of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Caroline Wura-Ola Adepoju, who made the disclosure yesterday in Abuja, said the newly acquired drones will assist the border patrol officers and men in monitoring cross – border crimes, illegal migration, coordinate response operations, and provide aerial support to officers stationed at the borders.

Adepoju while speaking at a press conference where she outlined the activities to mark this year’s International Migrants’ Day, noted that the planned to deploy drones is based on necessity.

The NIS boss, who expressed the optimism that the deployment and judicious use of drones at the nation’s porous borders would lead to a total clampdown on non-state actors and illegal migrants and trans- border crimes in the country added that,”  the federal government is in discussion with a Chinese giant, Huawei, to deploy Artificial Intelligence to secure our borders.

This is as she further allayed fears raised over the use of drones in security operations following the accidental bombing in Kaduna. 

She said, “We don’t use bombs, ours is to survey and gather intelligence. We also have boots on the ground. We are improving existing measures to ensure the security of Nigerian borders.”

According to her,  the stories that emanate from survivors of these ordeals are heart wrenching, “As a woman, wife, mother, aunt, sister, daughter and a human being, my heart bleeds each time I encounter the horrific tales of smuggling of migrants and their attendant consequences, especially as narrated by victims-turned-survivors.

“These terrible narratives should never be part of the story of the human race. 

Certainly not in the 21st century! Where does one start from? Is it from the horrific personal accounts of beautiful young women who were exposed to unimaginable horrors of modern-day sexual slavery and exploitation, hard and abusive labour? Is it the near-death experience of rescued stowaways on the high seas?

“Is the frustration of watching young, energetic youths desperate for greener pasture but poorly informed ill-prepared, haven sold almost everything of value to them and their parents to be able to travel? Or parents/guardians who ignorantly sent their children/wards in the way of risks and death all in the name “making it”?