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PH: As We Await CCTV Cameras
Crime rate in Port Harcourt and its suburbs has in the recent past reached a frenetic and feverish pitch. However, some spirited moves made recently in the state to stem crime rate have yielded good result, as the state Police Command, a forthnight ago, arrested four die-hard armed robbers.
Only last week, the eight suspected kidnappers and armed robbers, arrested by the state police command, confessed to the killing of eight policemen between April and June this year. What’s more, the command has within the last six months arrested over 60 suspected armed robbers and 41 kidnap suspects. This is unfortunate, to say the least.
The state Commissioner of Police, Suleiman Abba who announced this in Port Harcourt while parading some suspected armed robbers, assured the people of the state on the preparedness of the command to improve security in the state.
Not too long ago, the state police command apprehended about 55 suspected criminals involved in kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism and other vices in the state. Similarly, the command dismissed no fewer than 10 policemen for violent conduct to members of the public.
Viewed against this backdrop, it is obviously a welcome development to hear that the state police command will soon install Close Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras on the roads in Port Harcourt.
The state Police Commissioner who dropped the hint, said the move is part of efforts to ensure effective monitoring of its officers and men, manning road blocks, as well as improve security on the roads.
His words: “Our men at the road blocks will be monitored with CCTV cameras to enable us see what they are doing. This is so because anything they do will be outright dismissal if we find anyone engaged in corrupt practices.”
Indeed, the Close Circuit Television (CCTV) monitors, now in use in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, are some of the modern security devices that should be installed in Port Harcourt and its environs without delay, if the spate of crimes is to be stemmed.
One can recall that in 2008, the police authorities installed the CCTV monitors in FCT, Abuja. Mr Haz Iwendi, the Force Public Relations Officer, at the time, who announced the installation of the security devices, said the television monitors would enhance security surveillance in the federal capital. His words: “The idea is for us to be able to cover the entire FCT, and be able to crackdown on all criminal activities and those behind them.”
The police authorities, no doubt, need to be commended for the installation of CCTV monitors in Abuja and its suburbs, especially the federal government that provided the funds with which the police procured and installed the security devices.
But while lauding the nation’s police for the landmark achievement in crime control, one would want to urge the authorities to extend the gesture to other major cities across the country. Yes, the CCTV monitors should not be limited to only Abuja and its environs. Cities such as Port Harcourt, Lagos, Ibadan, Kano, Enugu, among others, also need (urgently) such modern security surveillance devices to checkmate the antics of men of the underworld and other miscreants unleashing terror on law-abiding citizens residing in these cities.
It is common knowledge that the spate of crime in some major cities in the country has in the recent past assumed an alarming proportion. Therefore, the introduction of CCTV cameras to check the antics of criminals should not for any reason be an exclusive affair for Abuja and its suburbs.
Agreed, Abuja is the nation’s federal capital city and should be provided with the best security surveillance devices. But security reports across the country indicate that other cities have in the recent past, witnessed an upsurge in crime wave.
It would be recalled that the erstwhile Inspector-General of Police, Sunday Ehindero, lamented that the spate of crime in the country, especially in major cities, had continued to soar in spite of steps taken to stem the tide of crime.
Accusing the nation’s police commissioners, at the time, of not helping matters, Ehindero, however assured Nigerians that everything possible would be done to nip in the bud, the antics of criminals in major cities. Again, the immediate past Police Inspector-General, Mike Okiro, also re-echoed same. Yet, criminals have been on the prowl in Port Harcourt and other major cities across the country.
Well, since the police authorities have taken some dogged steps to install CCTV cameras in FCT, Abuja, the cameras should be installed not only in Port Harcourt but other major cities in the country because, what is worth doing is worth doing well.
All said, as we await the installation of CCTV cameras in Port Harcourt, it is hoped that the project will not remain in the pipeline like most of the police projects, yet to be executed, years after they were proposed.
FRIDAY NWINUDEE
President Bola Tinubu has ordered a Federal Executive Council committee to move swiftly on measures to further reduce food prices across the country.
The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, disclosed this in Abuja, on Wednesday.
According to him, the directive focuses on ensuring safe passage of farm produce across transport routes to cut logistics costs.
“The President has given a matching order with a Federal Executive Council committee already handling it on how we are going to promote safe passage of agricultural foods and commodities across our various routes in the country,” Abdullahi said at a capacity-building workshop for Senate correspondents.
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Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, has faced worsening food insecurity since the removal of fuel subsidy, high transport costs, and insecurity on major highways disrupted the movement of goods.
Despite government interventions, food remains largely unaffordable for millions.
The minister said the plan is tied to Tinubu’s broader vision of food sovereignty—beyond availability to ensure affordability, accessibility, and nutrition on a sustainable basis.
To back this up, he revealed that government is set to roll out a Farmer Soil Health Scheme to boost productivity and a revamped cooperative reform initiative to mobilise resources and empower rural farmers.
“Mr. President has shown tremendous interest in the cooperative sector as a veritable tool for resource mobilisation, for economic activity generation, and to improve the livelihood of members,” Abdullahi added.
The event, with the theme, “Parliamentary Reporting: Issues, Challenges and Responsibilities,” also featured Senate Media Committee Chairman, Senator Yemi Adaramodu; ex-presidential aide, Senator Ita Solomon Enang; and NILDS DG, Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman.
The Federal Government has warned contractors, including foreign firms, that any breach of regulations in road projects awarded to them may lead to arrest by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.
The Minister of Works, David Umahi, issued the warning during an inspection of the ongoing dualisation of the East-West Road (Section IIIA) from Eleme Junction to Onne Port Junction in Rivers State.
The section is being executed by Reynolds Construction Company (Nigeria) Limited.
Responding to questions from journalists, Umahi commended the quality of work on the project but expressed displeasure over the slow pace, stressing that the December completion deadline remains sacrosanct.
On the project, he said:“The quality of the work is excellent, but the pace of work is totally unacceptable. Let me make it very clear to the contractor that this project will neither be reviewed nor varied in price or claims.
“I’m sure we have issued over 10 warning letters to them. If they fail to comply with the completion deadline of December 15, we will not extend it.”
He added that the ministry had already put measures in place to enforce compliance
“The comptroller has negative certificates to issue, and I will recover the money from any of their other projects. All those letters are on record, and when the time comes, they will be invoked. Any contractor who refuses to abide by regulations will have the EFCC and ICPC to contend with,” he said.
Umahi further disclosed that the Federal Government had directed that road projects valued below N20bn would no longer be awarded to expatriate companies, in line with its “Nigeria First” policy aimed at strengthening indigenous capacity in the construction sector.
“This is part of the Nigeria First policy of the Federal Government. Henceforth, no expatriate firm will be awarded any project valued below N20bn. Such projects must go to indigenous companies, while expatriates focus on higher-value projects requiring more technical capacity,” he said.
The minister also noted that the Federal Ministry of Works had adopted a funding prioritisation framework to sustain road projects initially financed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited under the Road Infrastructure Development and Refurbishment Investment Tax Credit Scheme.
He stressed that President Bola Tinubu had directed that none of such projects should be abandoned, adding that priority would be given to critical economic corridors.
Umahi also decried the indiscriminate parking of heavy-duty vehicles on highways, saying it was damaging the pavements of completed sections of the road.
He said letters would be sent to state governors and the Inspector-General of Police to enforce punitive measures against defaulters.
Earlier, the Federal Controller of Works in Rivers State, Mrs Enwereama Tarilade, said RCC had completed 15km of the right carriageway and commenced work on the left carriageway, with one kilometre already laid in Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavement.
The Rivers State Government says it will ensure the smooth and successful takeoff of the newly established Federal University of Environment and Technology (FUET), in Ogoniland.
This commitment was made yesterday by the Administrator of Rivers State, Retired Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd), during a courtesy visit by the university’s Governing Council and Management team at the Government House, in Port Harcourt.
The high-level delegation was led by the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Council, Professor Don Baridam and the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Chinedu Mmom.
In his address, Administrator Ibas warmly congratulated the pioneer council and management on their appointments, describing their task as both a recognition of individual accomplishment and a historic call to duty.
“This is not just a recognition of your personal achievements but also a call to history to shape an institution that will have a profound impact on Rivers State, the Niger Delta, and indeed our country,” he stated.
The Administrator commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the establishment of the specialized university in Ogoniland, describing the initiative as “timely and strategic.”
He emphasized that the university’s presence offers a critical opportunity to drive research, innovation, and community-focused solutions to the region’s pressing environmental and developmental challenges.
He further noted that the university’s core focus aligns perfectly with the priorities of his administration.“We consider this university not merely as another institution of higher learning but as a strategic partner in our collective effort to rebuild Rivers State under the ongoing state of emergency and beyond,” he affirmed.
Responding to specific requests presented by the delegation, Administrator Ibas assured the university of immediate support in critical areas essential for the its commencement.
These include the provision of operational vehicles, key facilities, and the completion of the access road to the campus, adding that other vital needs, such as perimeter fencing, refuse disposal, and the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy, would be addressed within the framework of the state’s broader infrastructure and support programmes.
To ensure swift action, the Administrator directed the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) to work closely with the university’s Governing Council to prioritize the sequence of requests, particularly those tied to the commencement of academic activities in September 2025.
“Let me assure you that Rivers State Government will stand as a dependable partner to the Federal University of Environment and Technology. We see this university as part of our long-term investment in knowledge, innovation, and the future of our youths,” he emphasized.
In his remarks, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Professor Don Baridam, reaffirmed the university’s commitment to academic excellence, innovation, and community development.
He disclosed that the Federal Government has directed the institution to formally commence its academic session in September 2025, adding that preparations are in full swing to ensure a smooth take-off with adequate infrastructure and resources in place.
“Today’s meeting marks the beginning of a strategic partnership between the Rivers State Government and FUET, envisioned to establish the university as a premier hub for research, innovation, and sustainable development in the Niger Delta”, he said.