NAN-H-44
Crimes
Abuja, Sept. 22, 2016 (NAN) The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), has expressed its readiness to engage the National Assembly towards enacting and amending laws to tackle the challenges of border crimes.
The Country Representatives of UNODC, Cristina Albertin made this known at a three-day “Sub-Regional Training of Law Enforcement Officers on Joint Border Control and Management’’ on Thursday in Abuja.
The workshop with the theme, “Strengthening National Response to Security threats through Enhanced Border Control in Nigeria, ’’ was sponsored by the Government of Japan.
Albertin said that there was the need for continuous review of obsolete laws, particularly in view of emerging dynamics in organised crimes like insurgency, human trafficking, arms smuggling, drug trafficking, and cross border robbery, among others.
She added that the UNODC would also map out plans to engage with the legislature on the review or enactment of laws critical to other areas of governance.
“The National Assembly is definitely a critical stakeholder. When it comes to laws, we will engage the National Assembly to advocate and to explain why certain laws are necessary.
“When we have an initiative that aims at laws reforms, we will engage with them,’’ she said.
According to her, the workshop, which is first of its kind with major stakeholders from Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Republic of Benin as well as Cameroon, is critical to confronting security challenges in the region.
“Effective prevention and control of transnational organised crime, terrorism and other security threats in addition to proper legislation for strengthening of cross-border cooperation goes beyond the checking of passports and immigration controls.
“You are all aware of the security threats for Nigeria and its neighbours emanating from the presence and action of Boko Haram and related criminal activities.
“Porous borders and weak controls and management present opportunities for criminal and terrorist organisations which they will most certainly exploit unscrupulously,’’ she said.
The country representatives further said that the workshop would help to provide knowledge and good practice to law enforcement officers in order to enhance control and better manage activities at the border.
She also said that the workshop would promote joint border patrol and co-operation across border to secure the border points of Nigeria and its neighbours. (NAN)
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Edited by Ese E. Ekama