Will CCTV, drones curb crime in Nigeria?

This week a Yoruba socio-cultural group, Voice of Reason (VoR) otherwise known as Ohun Agba, warned the Federal Government and security operatives to look beyond using drones and Close Circuit Television (CCTV) to fight crime in the country. Daily Trust Saturday sought the opinions of Nigerians on whether their use will indeed secure the nation. […]

This week a Yoruba socio-cultural group, Voice of Reason (VoR) otherwise known as Ohun Agba, warned the Federal Government and security operatives to look beyond using drones and Close Circuit Television (CCTV) to fight crime in the country. Daily Trust Saturday sought the opinions of Nigerians on whether their use will indeed secure the nation.

Comrade Samuel Nomunengi, Chairman NUJ, Bayelsa State Council

Yes, the introduction of CCTV and drones will curb crimes, especially in our region here in the Niger Delta. It is the best idea from the government. In advanced countries, their use has helped in reducing crime. It will minimise crime. It is a better way to fight crime in our society. If criminals know that there are drones flying around, that they could easily be tracked, it will make them have a rethink. Even if there may be deliberate attempts to vandalize them, it will still reduce crime.

Roland Elekele, Coordinator, International Institute of Journalism (IIJ) Yenagoa study centre

Using CCTV and drones in fighting crime in Nigeria is very proper, but sustainability may be a major constraint. In Nigeria, when you establish something, maintenance is always lacking. In the case of drones, it’s unfortunate that criminals will easily find a way to destroy it. Another thing is the failure of the institution. Nigeria cannot guarantee the sustainability of such an idea. Based on our environment CCTV can be helpful, but drones, no, not in Nigeria.

Chief Chinedu Arthur-Ugwa, South-South Coordinator, Ohaneze Youth Wing

The issue is that of implementation. I would not be surprised to see poles mounted without the gadgets. In advanced countries today, CCTV and drones are being used to fight crimes, but can it work in Nigeria? Introducing it in Nigeria to fight crime is a good, noble idea, but we are worried about the implementation. Whatever good idea government brings will suffer from lack of implementation. Even if CCTV are installed on our highways criminal elements will vandalize it. If adequate measures to safeguard those facilities are introduced, it will be a good idea. Security agencies must put adequate measures on ground to safeguard the CCTV and drones all over the country. Take a look at what is happening at the East-West road, Elele and Rumoji axis going to Port Harcourt, will CCTV track down those kidnapping along those axes? Will the cameras be installed inside the bush?

Musa Bashir Usman, 42, Publisher, Valuechain Magazine, Kaduna.

The world is becoming more sophisticated. Every aspect of our lives has been taken over by technology, and so is crime. To fight crime today everywhere in the world, the law enforcement agencies deploy the use of technology. What was required to fight it three or two decades ago is totally different from what is required today. I remember, many years ago, the police and detectives were using telephone, two-way radio gadget in Nigeria. As technology advances, new gadgets are now being invented to aid law enforcement personnel in surveillance patrol, unlike in the past when a crime will be committed and the only means of identifying the culprit was through the use of finger print identification process. With the advancement of technology, 24-hour surveillance is being achieved through the use of CCTV cameras on the streets, public and private buildings, ATM machines, even in hotels, though there are concerns about human privacy, which is part of our fundamental human rights. But if we look at the current level of insecurity in our country, we really need the deployment of these gadgets.

Tolumobofa Akpoebibo Jonathan, Commander, Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN), Bayelsa State

We really need to emulate the advanced countries. Also, we need to introduce community policing to complement the use of CCTV and drones in fighting crime. Many people are saying that Nigeria is not ripe for community policing, but yet we are ripe for all sorts of crimes? We need to upgrade our system. These are electronic devices. How do we control it, how do we manage them? At the end of the day these devices will be managed by human beings, so we must put this into consideration for it to be effective. Community policing needs to be fast-tracked.

Yakubu Salihu, 60, Journalist, Kaduna

It is a good policy, but we need innovation. It has worked in many countries but our problem has always been implementation. The subject matter is long overdue, it was a policy implemented by the Jonathan administration and heavy contracts were awarded, unfortunately, the sincerity of purpose and political will is not there. When government comes up with a good policy, it is always killed by non-implementation and the people only use government policies and projects to siphon money. In Kaduna here, what Nasir El-Rufai has implemented is good, and we can see drones flying all over the place. It is a good policy because this country needs technology to fight crime. Even the criminals have become more advanced in technology. The government needs outdo them, and this can be done only through technology. If government can implement the policy without corruption, it will work.

Aisha Ahmed, Business Woman, Malali, Kaduna

Using CCTV and drones to curb insecurity in Nigeria is a good idea because I believe it will, to some extent, reduce the rate of crime in the country and by the time the security apparatus are being installed, the perpetrators will feel they are being watched and they will try to, as much as they can, avoid committing crime. I also believe that even if they commit the crime, they might decide to do it in a place where they feel they are not being watched, which is another problem for security agents. The drones will help a lot in bushy areas and forests, especially to track down kidnappers and cattle rustlers. I think it is a very good development and a welcome idea, even though the government and security agents must be on their toes to address the problem of crime in the country.

Mrs. Lydia Wya, 64, Business Woman, Kaduna

CCTVs and drones are very important because it is one of the ways we can track down criminals and unscrupulous elements in the society. We cannot lie with such security apparatus. Once a crime is committed, they produce the video to show the person, and the person cannot escape. So the government should prioritise it in order to protect its citizens.