By Omolola Dede Adeyanju
The Commandant General, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Ahmed Abubakar Audi PhD mni, ofnpsc, has appraised Nigeria technology industry and security agencies on new innovations to reducing crime rate in the country.
The Commandant General who was represented by Assistant Commandant General in charge of Zone ‘A’, Lagos State, Olasupo Adebayo Solomon, PhD, Mcia, expressed this in his speech during the 12th edition of the three-day SECUREX west Africa Expo in Lagos recently.
In his words, “The ‘safe cities challenge’ is a global initiative that seeks to promote safety and security in urban areas which invites solutions that addresss a range of safety and security challenges, including, crime prevention, emergency response and community.
“Nigeria has participated in the safe cities challenge initiative and Lagos was selected in 2019 as one of the 20 finalists. The State Government implemented plans for reducing crimes and improving safety in the city, which includes implementation of a CCTV surveillance system, the deployment of additional security personnel, and the establishment of a public safety and security communication network. Also, the Federal Capital Territory, had earlier implemented CCTV surveillance system in Abuja in order to prevent and checkmate security breaches.
“The effort is the Abuja Environment Protection Board (AEPB), which is responsible for ensuring a clean and healthy environment in the city. The AEPB has taken steps to promote safety and security by enforcing laws and regulations on waste disposal, street trading and outdoor advertising. The Nigerian Police Force as well as the NSCDC has launched various initiatives aimed at dwindling the rate of crimes and improving safety in cities across the country. The government has also invested in the deployment of CCTV cameras in some cities, to enhance surveillance and reduce criminal activities.”
The Commandant General acknowledged the existence of adequate security during and after the February election as one of the evidences of the roles played by security agencies in promoting peace and stability in the country.
However, the Regional Director, Afrocet Montgomery, Mr George Pearson, organisers of SECUREX WEST AFRICA EXPO enumerated that the expo is a leading security and public safety event serving the West African sub-region and a platform that brings decision makers, influencers, stakeholders from private and public sector together in order to address the challenges to safety and security.
He noted, “As the commercial capital of Nigeria, Lagos is fast becoming the leading megacity in Africa. But with the promise of opportunity, the need to develop the city as it rapidly expands becomes increasingly important. This expo is a major platform in Nigeria tailored towards offering such a range of tech-driven smart and resilient solutions for the new urban/built environment. And we firmly believe this will be the event of future technology in years to come.”