President Bola Tinubu has urged Nigerians to embrace peace and unity, emphasizing that despite political differences, the nation remains united. Speaking at the commissioning of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Technology Innovation Complex (BATTIC) on Tuesday, Tinubu highlighted the importance of national cohesion. “Regardless of different political inclinations, we are one,” he stated, reinforcing his message of unity amidst the country’s diverse political landscape.
The event took place at the headquarters of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) in Abuja, where Tinubu was warmly welcomed by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, and the Comptroller-General of Immigration, Kemi Nandap. During his speech, the President described Nigerians as residents of a single building, living in different rooms. “We are all occupants of one building who are only living in different rooms,” he said, underlining the need for collective harmony across the nation.
BATTIC, the new technology hub, was unveiled by President Tinubu as part of efforts to enhance Nigeria’s immigration and border security systems. The complex, located at the NIS headquarters, includes several key components, such as the Command and Control Centre for regular migration, the NIS Data Centre, the ECOWAS Biometric Card Production Centre, the Interior Data Centre, and a 0.5KW solar power plant. These technological advancements aim to streamline operations and improve efficiency within the country’s immigration framework.
The unveiling of BATTIC is seen as a major step toward modernizing Nigeria’s immigration and border management processes. According to NIS Comptroller-General Kemi Nandap, BATTIC will play a critical role in enhancing national security. “BATTIC will ascertain the risk level of persons entering the country, detect irregular migration patterns, and monitor unmanned borders in remote areas across the country,” she explained, highlighting the importance of technology in safeguarding Nigeria’s borders.
Nandap further emphasized that BATTIC will set a new standard for the use of technology in border security. “It is setting the benchmark to use technology to secure the country’s borders and ensure the security of the nation,” she added. The complex is designed to improve monitoring systems and provide more effective responses to migration challenges, particularly in areas that have been traditionally difficult to monitor.
