The federal government has said it will make the use of ECOWAS biometric identity compulsory for foreigners coming into the country as part of efforts to curb illegal entrance into Nigeria and check the incessant attacks by members of the terrorist groups.
Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, described the move as part of the government efforts to curb the influx of foreigners into Nigeria.
Dambazau made the disclosure in Abuja when he hosted the Executive Intelligence Management Course (EIMC) 12 of the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), Bwari, Abuja.
The minister said that ECOWAS’ free movement protocol would be accompanied by passports and proper documentation, adding that a concession agreement with Euphoria Press Ltd on the implementation of the ECOWAS Biometric Identity Card may be signed today.
He also revealed that the document would be officially launched in three months after which nobody would cross the Nigerian border without ECOWAS Biometric Identity Card.
Dambazau said that this was part of the security arrangements the federal government had initiated to address border security issues in the country.
Describing the biometric identity card as a prominent feature in ECOWAS summit last December, Dambazau declared that “nobody can cross our borders without the ECOWAS Identity Card; these are some of the security arrangements Nigeria is making to address border security issues.”
