Katsina — Minister of Interior, Major General Godwin Abe (rtd) has tasked Nigeria and Niger officials at the border posts to find ways of strengthening security at the entry points between the two countries.

Abe stated this while declaring open a two-day workshop on trade and food security at the Kano-Katsina-Maradi axis of the Nigeria-Niger International boundary in Katsina.

He averred that the security of Nigeria was very much intertwined with that of Niger, adding that the two countries should continue to take all necessary measures to deny criminals safe haven.

Abe posited that a relaxed security at the border posts may bring about the infiltration of criminal elements, who according to him may tend to engage in cross-border crimes such as armed robbery, smuggling, human and drug trafficking.

The minister argued that the reform in the immigration service that introduced e-passport and electronic registration of all ECOWAS citizens was meant to smoothen immigration formalities in Nigeria.

To boost businesses across the border towns of the two countries, Abe challenged communities at the border lines to facilitate ways of strengthening border markets in their areas.

He therefore hoped that the workshop would brainstorm on ways of improving relations and find ways of stimulating economics and infrastructural growth between the two countries.

In his remarks, the state governor, Barrister Ibrahim Shema called on the meeting to deliberate on pro-active measures of strengthening trade in livestock and wheat between the two neigbours.

Barrister Shema who was represented by his deputy Barrister Sirajo Umar Damari said Katsina stands to benefit a lot from the workshop's deliberations on trade, security, poverty alleviation and environmental control.