THE Federal Government has underscored the urgent need for enhanced real-time intelligence sharing and institutional synergy to effectively safeguard the Nigeria’s borders against rising transnational security threats.

Minster of Interior, the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made the call at the at the formal closing ceremony of a specialised training programme on Border Control and Immigration Management Service (BCIMS) and graduation of 87 immigration officers trained in modern border monitoring and data systems, yesterday in Abuja.

The minister noted that securing the Nigeria’s frontiers requires a robust, technology-driven approach and seamless collaboration among security agencies.

Commending the leadership of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) for prioritising personnel training, Tunji-Ojo said that contemporary migration challenges demand proactive strategies and advanced digital infrastructure to detect and intercept illicit movements.

He said “Nigeria immigration service deals with the regulation of the migration of persons. By virtue of that, you cannot deal with 200 million people in an analog environment. It’s not doable.”

Comptroller-General of the NIS, Kemi Nanna Nandap, delivered a comprehensive roadmap on the upgraded Border Management Information System (BMIS), integrated with the Migration Information and Data Analysis System (MIDAS).

She said the merger has successfully aggregated over 15 million migration records into a single, cohesive database tracking identity, movement, and risk.

However, she strongly cautioned the graduating personnel that automated tools and digital alerts are merely supportive aids and can never substitute for professional judgement, thorough investigation, or respect for travellers’ rights.

She warned that “An alert is not a verdict because a risk indicator calls for careful, proportionate examination.

“It never replaces evidence, professional judgement or respect for the rights of the travellers standing in front of it.

Nandap outlined five non-negotiable standards for the officers such as accuracy, integrity, judgement, readiness, and accountability.

She warned against the misuse of confidential platforms, stressing that severe disciplinary measures await any personnel who compromise institutional trust.

“Do not share your credentials. Do not search records out of curiosity. Never use this platform to grant favours, or to settle scores, or to facilitate improper passage. Any such abuse will be investigated and punished,” she warned.

Highlighting that transnational crimes such as human trafficking, migrant smuggling, and identity fraud thrive in operational gaps, Nandap maintained that connected information and disciplined officers are vital to closing those vulnerabilities.

“Our operating environment has changed. International mobility is growing more complexly,” she noted, adding that fragmented records and outdated methods can no longer address modern demands.

Nandap further charged supervisors to ensure optimal deployment of personnel and equipment, emphasising that the success of the multi-million-naira digital initiative would be evaluated based on tangible performance outcomes rather than ceremonial milestones.

She insisted that the NIS “Will judge this programme by outcomes not ceremonies. The measure is not how many officers were trained, or how many devices were issued. The measure is in harder questions: Are our records more accurate? Are checks conducted and so on.