New e-gates at Nigerian airports lead to arrests of 10 high-profile individuals, says FG

The Federal Government has revealed that the e-gates recently installed at five international airports across Nigeria have led to the arrest of at least 10 individuals flagged as persons of interest.

This was disclosed by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today.

According to the minister, the automated border control systems are integrated with watchlists from the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) and Nigeria’s security agencies, enabling pre-emptive measures against potential threats.

“Automatically, it (e-gates) flags that but I don’t want to discuss too much on that for security reasons but trust me, it is already integrated to watchlists, to Interpol. “I tell you something, in (a) few days, about 10 people were apprehended who were persons of interest. Nigeria is a no-go area for persons of interest,” Tunji-Ojo stated.

Highlighting the benefits of the e-gates, the minister explained that the technology enhances national security by identifying and deterring criminal activities before they occur.

The e-gates, which have eliminated human interference in immigration processes, are also equipped with an advanced passenger information system capable of detecting fake passports.

Tunji-Ojo noted that the Nigeria Immigration Service now profiles passengers before their arrival in the country, significantly boosting security at the nation’s airports.