1,497 Illegal Routes Into Nigeria – Interior Minister. There are no fewer than 1,497 illegal routes that lead into Nigeria. The startling disclosure was made earlier today by Nigeria’s Interior Minister, Abba Moro. Mr. Moro spoke in Abuja while briefing the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the party's national headquarters. In order to curb the security crisis associated with porous borders, the minister said Nigeria needed more than $244 million. The fund would go into installation of electronic surveillance round the nation's borders. The minister added that the crisis of insecurity in the country was being compounded by the operation of 30 illegal guard companies in the country. He announced that only the operator of one of them had been arrested. Mr. Moro also revealed that some scam artists “opened a website in the name of the ministry which they have been using to dupe unsuspecting members of the public.” He added: “One of them even used my name to open such a website, but we have been able to arrest him somewhere in Asokoro, Abuja, when I asked one of his would-be victims to play along with him.” The minister underscored the fact that Nigeria’s vast borders were porous, making it possible for the 1,497 illegal routes to exist. "We are making efforts to procure appropriate modern technology to be installed along our borders and we are collaborating with the USAt and a private Chinese company on this. "With the assistance of the US State Department, we realised that some components of the offer we got from the private firm was contained in what the State Department would be offering us. "When we have done this, the temptation of illegal entry into Nigeria will be reduced." By SaharaReporters

Corps Members on Parade Ground

NYSC Sign MoU with BoI on Entrepreneurial Skills for Corpers

The National Youth Service Corps, NYSC has signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU with Bank of Industry, BoI on entrepreneurial skill development for Nigerian graduate youths just as a Corps member got N3.8m collateral-free loan. The bank, in collaboration with the NYSC, is to train and empower Corps members in various entrepreneurial skills and give them collateral-free loan as capital and expansion of business initiatives.
Ms. Eveyln Oputu, Managing Director, BoI, while signing the MoU with the Director General of NYSC, Brigadier General Johnson Olawunmi in Abuja said there is no doubt that Nigerian youths are talented and deserve every support.
It is her believe that the acquisition of skills and the loan to help the youths start up their own businesses would reduce the desire for white-collar jobs and build them to be self-reliant and also employers of labour.
Oputu said that the Skill Acquisition & Entrepreneurship Development, SAED, idea was born out of the unemployment challenges youth Corps members face after the completion of their youth service programme. Oputu said that the partnership will cut across various disciplines such as learning an entrepreneurial trade skill, sport as well as engineering skills for those who are not good in trading skill, among other disciplines.
Her words, “We will train them [corps members] in skill acquisition. We know that not everybody has the ability to learn entrepreneurial skills. Some have the skills to do business, some are good in engineering and they can transform the rural areas in our country because they can help to transform the roads, also those in sports who can train children in sports. Bank of Industry is trying to collaborate with people to start a football and basketball academy.”