The Comptroller-General, Nigeria Immigration
Service, Rose Uzoma, has called on the federal
government to provide the parastatal with
Unmanned Aerial Aircraft (UAVs), also known as
drones, for effective border patrol across the
nation.
Uzoma who said this at a forum of the News
Agency of Nigeria in Abuja, noted that “thousands
of unmanned border areas” in the country had
continued to pose a major security challenge to
Nigeria.”
She stated that the use of the sophisticated aircraft
was needed to ensure that the agency completely
secures the country’s porous borders, adding that
the government could acquire such drones
through public /private partnership.
Speaking further, the Comptroller General said:
“Talking about what we are doing about porous
borders, I think these Unmanned Aerial Aircraft
(UAVs) would be very good because nobody can
see it and easily shoot it down.”
“It will be recording visual movements and we will
be able receive it here at our headquarters
because the peculiar nature of our borders really
poses a big challenge, because there is no clear
cut buffer zone in the case of Nigeria.”
“You have some Niger villages located right within
the Nigeria geographical zone and you have some
Nigerian villages located in Niger or Cameroon and
what have you.”
“All of you know what happens at our Seme
border where our control post is located in the
Benin territory and our officers are handicapped.
Because if you want to stop somebody from
crossing he will say I am still in my country; we
have these problems,” she said.
The C-G disclosed that presently, the service had
two aircraft, a troop carrier, and the main aircraft,
which is being fitted with special equipment.
Uzoma said that the service would purchase more
vehicles in 2013 for patrol.
“If you are patrolling hundreds of kilometres to
make sure that nobody takes the illegal routes, you
need to have more than one vehicle. In a state like
Adamawa, we only have one border patrol vehicle,
but in 2013, we have made provision for more
vehicles.”
She further called for more budgetary allocation to
the service to enable it perform its duties more
effectively.
Uzoma, who assumed office in August 2010,
underscored some of her achievements including
improved border security, reduction in human
trafficking, and the protection of the rights of
Nigerians who travel abroad.
The immigration boss said her tenure established
a special elite team known as the “Strike Force.”
She commended the team for successfully
providing back up for routine immigration officers
whenever the need arises.
On the issue of passports, the Comptroller General
said four million e-passports had been issued to
Nigerians since the introduction of biometric
passport in 2007.

source:- dailypost.com.ng/2013/01/01/border-patrol-immigration-boss-asks-fg-provide-drones/

So they can sell non-functional drones to us again?