ABUJA (Sundiata Post) – The Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo on Friday test-ran the electronic gates (e-gates) installed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
According to him, the job is 99 percent done, the Minister said the e-gates would be deployed for operations by next week.
Accompanied by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr Aishetu Ndayako, and the Comptroller-General of Immigration, Kemi Nanna Nandap, among other top government officials, Tunji-Ojo said the e-gates were being deployed to eliminate human interfaces, reduce bureaucracy and make movements of passengers in and out the country seamless.
According to him, 29 e-gates would be deployed in Lagos, four in Enugu and Kano, while Port-Harcourt would have five.
He disclosed that the Airport infrastructure and Command and Control Centres have been tested with fake and expired passports rejected while genuine ones were cleared.
“With this massive infrastructure, we believe that no unwanted persons or persons of interests can find their way into Nigeria. Our security through the Airports and in the Airport domains are guaranteed,” he said.
“It is a testimony to what Mr President told us from day one on his Renewed Hope Agenda. He asked us to change the narratives and make passengers’ movements in and out of the country seamless.
“You can see that we have all our team here working in synergy with the authorities of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Nigeria Customs Service, and other stakeholders.
“I must at this point commend the Minister of Aviation, Hon Festus Keyamo (SAN), and other critical stakeholders who have made this transformation possible.”
