Criminals may no longer have hiding place in Lagos again as the state government yesterday activated the surveillance of the Close Circuit Cameras Television (CCTV)cameras installed across the state by the Federal Government.
The 1,000 cameras powered with 66 based stations across the state has its collapsible Video Wall for live feeds located at the Lagos State command Centre, Alausa, to effectively monitor the happenings at various strategic locations in the state.
The state government which said it planned to provide additional 1,000 CCTV cameras across the state to enhance the security surveillance, also disclosed that plans are in place to acquire video analytical solution for effective monitoring of the covered area.
Speaking after a demonstration of the command and control of the emergency situation using the CCTV cameras and telephony infrastructure, the state Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola who revealed this, said his administration is committed to security of life and property since life is irreplaceable
He said the state had been able to move from zero-camera-state to over 1,200 highly powered CCTV cameras installed in the state metropolis, assuring residents that he would make the state uncomfortable for criminals with effective surveillance of the strategic areas in the state.
The demonstration of the CCTV cameras with 3G Data capability also showed footage of how several recent robberies and crimes were carried out in the state.
The video of the CCTV with zoom capability also revealed how Indian hemps and drugs are sold in an area such as Oshodi, and how the security agents were hinted to apprehend the perpetrators.
Also, during the course of demonstration, video live feeds of strategic locations such as Deputy Governor Office, Agege Motor Road, Agboju Market, Murtala Muhammed International Airport and some other areas in the state were also shown.
Fashola said that the state government had made remarkable improvement in the area of security surveillance, saying the state had moved from one-monitor screen to 27 collapsible monitor screen to effectively monitor the happenings in the state metropolis.
He said the feat already attained in the security through investments and innovation is a continuous effort that in the state successive administration must continue to improve upon since the cameras are still grossly inadequate compare with what obtains in developed world.
His words: “We have moved from zero- camera state to 1,200-camera state. We have merged our cameras with the ones the federal government installed. We also moved from one screen monitor to about 27 screens that are collapsible to either one big wall or three screen and so on and so forth.
It is also important to know that we have also moved from 11-digit emergency number to 3-digit number because people in trauma or in distress might never remember an eleven digit number.”
Source: National Mirror
