As part of efforts aimed at fighting crimes in the country, the Federal Government, has through the Federal Capital Territory, FCT Police Command installed Close Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras in some strategic places in Abuja and its environs.

Addressing journalists yesterday on the new war against crime, especially kidnapping in the country, Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, Mr. Haruna John said priorities would be given to vulnerable black spots, criminal hideouts, and all identifiable escape routes of criminals within the Territory.

Haruna also paraded 21 suspected criminals arrested for various offences, ranging from kidnapping to robbery, fraud, and other crimes.

While explaining the various advantages of the CCTV cameras, the CP said among others it would help the police in the area of accuracy and curb, to an extent, crime in the country.

"The job of policing, most especially crime prevention, detection and control across the world have been improved and enhanced with the use of technology and modern equipments. The FCT Police Command and by extension, the Nigeria Police should not be left behind in benefitting from the enormous opportunities provided by advancement in science and technology.

"To this end, and in order to sustain the efforts of the FCT Police Command to further reduce the rate of crimes and criminalities within the Territory, the Nigeria Police Force is installing Closed Circuit Television, CCTV, cameras at strategic locations throughout the FCT," he said.

While calling on property owners of high rise buildings at any junction in the city to make them available for the installation, Haruna promised that the camera will only be focused on the environment and not to pry into their privacies with policemen on hand to guard both the installation and the houses where the cameras are installed.


Unlike the previous cameras that did not function properly for lack of maintainance, power supply and other necessary things, the FCT police boss assured residents of the city of well functional cameras that generates power by itself and also have regular maintainance managers.

Among the suspected criminals paraded yesterday was a staff of First Mutual Micro Finance Bank, Abeeb Nathan Olawale, who pretended that he was kidnapped, went into hiding and later demanded N5 million ransom from his employers, whom he said has not been paying him well.

He confessed that part of the reasons he feigned kidnapped was for him to attend a programme and that while the kidnapping saga lasted, he was able to finish his training programme before the Anti Kidnapping Section of the FCT police command finally nabbed him.