Border management in Nigeria to curb smuggling, border crimes, would soon be strengthened with the passage of a bill to that effect.
The Bill which is for an Act for the establishment of the National Institute for Border Studies, Imeko, Ogun State was passed by the two Chambers on Wednesday
The bill when assented to is to provide for teaching, research, instruction and training of students in border management and for other matters connected therewith.
The sponsor of the Bill senator Tolu Odebiyi in a statement he personally signed said,
“The Bill received the blessings of all the members of the National Assembly after going through the whole hog of legislative scrutiny with its 3rd reading passage yesterday, Tuesday 25th January, 2022 at the House of Representatives where it was sent to for concurrence by the Senate in 2021, for the benefit of Nigerians in general.
It would be recalled that a public hearing on the novel Bill was conducted at the Senate complex on the 26th of April, 2021 where public policy experts, Professors, opinion leaders and Royal fathers from Ogun West Senatorial District made submissions in favour of the Bill that will pave the way for the creation of the first Border Institute in Africa.
He said, the Institute is positioned amongst other things to teach, research, instruct and train students in both full-time and part-time courses
The field of studies that would be available he said include Migration, Refugee, Trans-Border Management, Border Security including other areas of Governance, Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities
Odebiyi pointed out that the institute will develop and conduct courses for training of students, as well as teachers in the teaching profession
“It expands the horizon for indigenous research and provide the basis for cooperation, partnership and collaboration with relevant institutions, researchers and stakeholders in Nigeria and beyond
“The Institute is proposed to be a degree awarding Institution, with the power to admit students and award degrees upon the completion of their statutory academic years and after satisfying the requirement of the Council.
“The Institute is within the statutory supervision of the Nigeria University Commission (NUC) and the Ministry of Education represented by the Minister who acts in the stead of the President as the visitor to the Institute.
“The Bill, according to the sponsor, Senator Odebiyi is for the good of Nigerians as the people are yearning for thorough border management, security and control.”