Agreement on 24-hour border patrol

To counter increasing crime along their common border, Nigeria and its neighbour Niger have agreed to start a 24-hour security patrol, police public relations officer, Haz Iwendi said on Monday. The Vanguard newspaper reported Iwendi as saying in Abuja that the patrol team, consisting of police officersfrom both countries, would arrest and repatriate criminals to their countries for prosecution. He said the Inspector-General of Police, Musilu Smith, and his Niger counter-part had discussed modalities and logistics needed for the joint operation. "A joint committee comprising law enforcement agents from both countries has been set up to work out modalities such as funding, logistics, number of personnel and other necessary infrastructure needed for the effective policing of the border," Iwendi said. Nigeria recently launched a joint anti-crime border patrol with Benin at the Krake-Seme area also in the aim of curbing cross-border criminal activities, the paper added.