Senator David Mark
Senate President, David Mark, Monday lamented the porous state of Nigeria’s borders, which he identified as a major boost for the influx of terrorists into the country.
Mark made this remark in Abuja while declaring open a public hearing on "A Bill for an Act to Amend the Border Development Agency (Establishment) Act 2013," organised by the joint Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters and States and Local Governments.
According to him, over the years, the porous state of the borders has given rise to human trafficking and mercenaries.
He said the situation was worsened by the inability of the Border Communities Development Agency to champion the cause of residents of border communities.
According to him, the development has aggravated the living conditions of residents of such communities because of dearth of infrastructure in the areas.
Sponsor of the bill, Senator Olufemi Lanlehin, said he was compelled to initiate the bill in the interest of "Nigerians in the border communities who had suffered prolonged and systematic neglect and continued deprivations in the hands of successive governments."
He added: "Schools for their children, basic health facilities, drinkable water and electricity are either non-existent or grossly inadequate making their lives miserable in this supposedly wealthy country of ours."
He also said amending the bill setting up the border development agency was compelling because the agency lacked adequate funds to discharge its responsibility of improving the welfare of border residents.
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