Immigration - NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA

Abdulaziz
Apr, Tue, 2025

Foreign

Nigeria advocates international laws on cyber-enabled immigration crimes

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By Kelechi Ogunleye

The Federal Government of Nigeria has advocated for internationally harmonised laws on cyber-enabled organised immigration crimes.

The Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, said this during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in London.

Tunji-Ojo said he made the remark while addressing global leaders during the Border Security Summit on tackling organised immigration crimes.

NAN reports that the summit was hosted by the UK Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer.

Tunji-Ojo said that the proposed laws include common definitions of penalties for online human trafficking and migrants.

They also include exponential agreements on cyber-criminals operating across multiple jurisdictions and the assessment of laws to dismantle financial links that fuel illegal migration.

“Nigeria calls for real-time content moderation to detect and remove recruiting advertisements for human smuggling and trafficking.

“Stronger reporting mechanisms for law enforcement to assess critical data on suspicious accounts.

“AI-driven early warning systems to flag illicit migration-related content before it spreads,” Tunji-Ojo said.

He said that there was need for technology companies to enforce stricter regulations to prevent their platforms from becoming recruitment hubs for human trafficking migrants.

“Big tech companies must be more accountable for the misuse of their platforms by criminal gangs.

“Organised criminal networks are weaponised digital platforms to facilitate irregular migration, human trafficking and other forms of transnational crime.

“Technology has enabled these groups to expand their reach, target vulnerable populations and evade law enforcement agencies, hence the need for international organisations to prioritise digital intelligence sharing,” he said.

The minister added that no country was immune to the threats posed by online criminal recruitment as the borderless nature of digital crime requires a coordinated international response.

Tunji-Ojo said that, under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, Nigeria was taking decisive actions to curb online criminal activities leading to migration and organised crime.

He said that Nigeria recognised the growing interconnection between survivor-included crime and global migration threats, requiring a proactive, intelligence-driven and collaborative approach.

“Security agencies, including the Nigerian Immigration Service and the Nigerian Police Force are integrating advanced cyber tools to detect, disrupt and dismantle digital recruitment networks.

“The Cybercrime Prohibition Prevention Act, alongside a Trafficking in Persons Prohibition Enforcement and Registration Act, provides a strong legal foundation to prosecute those exploiting digital platforms for illicit migration schemes,” he said.

He added that Nigeria was investing in cyber-forensic training for immigration security agencies to track, investigate and neutralise digital recruitment networks.

“We are expanding public awareness campaigns to educate citizens especially young people on the dangers of online recruitment into irregular migration and trafficking.

“Collaboration with community leaders, religious institutions and civil society will enhance grassroots efforts in countering digital exploitation.

“Government must commit to a global framework for digital accountability, ensuring that criminal syndicates do not exploit the gaps in online governance,” Tunji-Ojo said.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Ismail Abdulaziz

Abdulaziz
Feb, Fri, 2025

Defence/Security

BPP e-procurement promotes audit, says Tunji-Ojo

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By Kelechi Ogunleye

The Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, says that the implementation of the electronic-procurement system by the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) will promote audit trail.

Tunji-Ojo lauded the initiative when the BPP Director General, Adedokun Adebowale alongside security heads of all agencies under the ministry paid a visit to his office on Thursday in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Minister who is also the Chairman of the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB) approved the nomination of retired Maj.-Gen. Abdulmalik Jubrin as the secretary to the board.

The Minister said that e-procurement will enable Information Technology (IT) security, accountability, barrier breaking and turnaround response time.

“I want to advise that the e-procurement should be your major project because it will get rid of corruption within the system.

“What you are trying to do will also expand and increase our economy space, so for me, it’s what we need at this stage.

“You are being abroad does not mean you must relocate to Nigeria just because you want to do business in Nigeria as this is the era of performance beyond borders,” he said.

He attributed the setbacks and abandonment of some Federal Government projects to delays in procurement

He revealed that the use of technology by the ministry has fostered successes and monitoring of activities across the agencies under the ministry, especially in the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS).

“As regards passport administration, I monitor on my dashboard in the office every passport office in the whole world, so, I know how many passports is being produced daily.

“Naturally there are only three ways to make people efficient; that is, efficiency by being persuasive, secondly; efficiency by letting them know they are being trailed as the fear of the unknown makes them to perform.

‘Thirdly, let them know there are consequences for inaction just as there are rewards for action,” he said.

The Minister, while congratulating the new BPP DG on his appointment, said that the ministry was ready to partner with BPP to ensure a successful implementation of its plans, adding that the development of the country was a joint task.

In his earlier remarks, the BPP DG said that the ministry was a prove that the use of technology was the way to go in achieving organisational goals.

“I will put it on the table now that I am coming back to you to learn how you have been able to upscale what we have seen all around the agencies you oversee because we want to go e-procurement which is a paperless situation,’ Adedokun said.

He said he was dedicated to building a system where anyone home or abroad could partake in the procurement process without visiting BPP Abuja office.

Adebowale added that his office was also working on ensuring that with the budget of 2025, the procurement cycle starts and ends at most on May 31.

“Complete all your awards, then from June we want to begin to see implementation, performance and everyone on the field because we want Nigerians to feel everything we say we will do, physically.

“We have decided and are working hard to ensure the turnaround time is now maximum 20 days which means you must get a yes or no feedback on or before the 20th day.

“When we say no, we are actually saying clarify, when we decline that doesn’t mean rejection, we are only saying, please give us additional information to enable us defend you in your absence,” the DG said.

Responding to the approval by the minister, the new secretary to the CDCFIB promised to use his experience in making a difference in the board.

“I promise by the grace of God not to fail in my service as I seek the cooperation of the agencies that I am serving as secretary to extend same cooperation they have extended to my predecessor for greater service delivery,” Jubrin said.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Ismail Abdulaziz