By Favour Ulebor, Abuja

The Federal Government has sought Israel’s expertise in border security as part of efforts to curb cross-border crimes and strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture.

The move was disclosed in a statement issued on Monday by the Special Assistant on Communication and New Media to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Magnus Eze, following a valedictory visit by the outgoing Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria, Michael Freeman, to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja.

According to the statement, Odumegwu-Ojukwu reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to deepening collaboration with Israel in key areas of security, including counter-terrorism, intelligence gathering, information sharing, security financing and capacity building for security personnel.

She said Nigeria intends to leverage Israel’s experience in border security to address the growing challenge of cross-border crimes and improve national security.

The minister noted that the administration of President Bola Tinubu has continued to prioritise security as a key driver of national development, stressing that sustainable progress depends on a secure environment.

“The President emphasises security everywhere he goes because you are actually going nowhere without security,” she said.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu also described the recent rescue of the Oriire schoolchildren by Nigerian security agencies as a significant development in the country’s efforts to combat insecurity.

Beyond security, she underscored the need to strengthen partnerships between Nigerian startups and Israeli technology firms to drive innovation and economic growth.

She added that Nigeria was also interested in leveraging Israeli technology to improve water management and boost agricultural productivity.

In his remarks, Ambassador Freeman reiterated Israel’s commitment to expanding cooperation with Nigeria in innovation, agriculture, healthcare, security, education and skills development.

“We are more than willing to work with Nigeria. We know that after the elections, things will be a lot easier. We are committed to defence and security cooperation with Nigeria,” he said.

Freeman described Nigeria as “an amazing country” with warm and welcoming people, adding that stronger engagement between both countries would help unlock the full potential of their bilateral relationship.

He also noted that annual trade between Nigeria and Israel, estimated at about $200 million, remains below its potential, expressing optimism that both countries would work towards significantly increasing bilateral trade in the coming years.