Kidnapping: We Will Install CCTV Cameras On All Major Highways, Says Minister Of Police Affairs

The Minister of Police Affairs, Muhammad Dingyadi says efforts are to install Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras on all major highways across the country to curb the rising cases of kidnapping.

Dingyadi who disclosed this in an interview on Channels Television breakfast programme, Sunrise Daily said President Muhammadu Buhari has given the approval for the project and the Federal Government has entered into an agreement with NPS Technology Company to re-fix the abandoned CCTV project.

“We are moving forward, like you are aware, the 470million CCTV project that has been abandoned. Mr President has now given us the go-ahead to resuscitate the project and we have already entered into a concession agreement with NPS technologies. They are there trying to re-fix the entire system to resuscitate it.

“By the time this system is put in place, we will have a lot of technology to manage this crisis – particularly this issue of kidnapping. We will go a long to ensure that we reduce the number of kidnappings in this country,” the Minister said.

When asked if the CCTV will be in only major cities like Abuja, the Minister said, “The CCTV is going to be on all the major highways in all the states of the Federation, it is everywhere in this country.”

Dingyadi said the company in charge of the CCTV project is already purchasing the needed equipment for the project.

Speaking concerning the challenges, he said they are aware of the challenges involved in achieving the projects and they are tackling them headlong

“That is what we are doing now, we are facing the challenges, we are trying to resuscitate it. This company is already going into action to ensure that they purchase the needed equipment.

He added that the project will be accomplished based on public and private partnerships.

Five Killed, Houses Burnt as Hoodlums Clash With Amotekun In Ibadan

Five youths who were keeping vigil in the Labiran area of Ibadan were shot dead during a clash between the operatives of the Oyo State Security network, codenamed Amotekun, and hoodlums on Friday evening, SaharaReporters has gathered.

Labiran has been troubled by some hoodlums in the last few days, necessitating youths to keep vigil to avert robbery.

On Thursday night, over 200 houses were razed while hoodlums killed a young man in the area.

One of the youths in the area, who simply identified himself as Wale, said following the burning and looting of properties in the area, elders in the community invited youth to stay awake to avert a recurrence.

“It is true; they killed four of our friends. Their families have taken them for burial this morning. Our fathers invited us to keep vigil. When we heard that those miscreants were coming, one of our brothers invited the operatives of Amotekun to help us.

“On arrival, they started shooting sporadically while hoodlums were also shooting. As a result, Monsuru, Ridwan and two other people were killed.

“They have taken their corpses for burial. Those hoodlums later came back to our area around 5 am. As we speak, they are burning houses again. Smoke is everywhere. Many have fled our area now. We need help,” he said.

The cadets were undergoing training for the young officers course, company commanders course and commanding officers course.

Officer cadets of the Nigerian Army School of Infantry (NASI) in Jaji, Kaduna State came under fire from bandits on Tuesday, military sources told Peoples Gazette.

An unconfirmed number of assailants, suspected to be cattle rustlers, ran into students of Tactics Wing, NASI, during ‘Exercise Wazobia’ — a rigorous military drill at Labar camp and opened fire, sources said.

“The armed escort responded with high volume of fire and the bandits escaped in disarray,” a source told the Gazette Wednesday morning.

The Gazette learnt that a soldier, who sustained gunshot wounds in the attack, was promptly evacuated to a medical facility in the state for treatment.

The Gazette could not immediately ascertain if the officer cadets undergoing military courses ranging from young officers course (YOC), company commanders course (CCC) and commanding officers course (COC) will resume combat training at the volatile camp or relocate to another exercise ground.

An army spokesman did not return multiple requests for comments.

Military authorities have repeatedly assured of ongoing efforts to intensify the onslaught against bandits and neutralise the activities of cattle rustlers in Kaduna and other disturbed parts of northern Nigeria.