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Police Plan New Crime-Fighting Technology

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Criminals in Lagos and
Ogun States may not have breather any longer to operate as the Zone 2 Police Command says it will soon launch a new technology platform to boost its crime fighting.
The Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) in charge of the zone, Mr Bala Hasan, made the disclosure on Tuesday in Lagos in an interview with newsmen.
Hassan, who reviewed how the police reduced crime in the zone during the Yuletide, said the technology would enhance the measures already put in place to rid the states of criminality.
He said that the sustained efforts at curbing crime paid off as the zone witnessed the lowest crime rate in the last five years during the Christmas and New Year festivities.
The AIG said the command in line with the pursuits of the police top hierarchy would strive to motivate its officers and men and apply technology in fighting the menace this year.
“We are going to motivate our officers and men by taking care of their welfare and try to create more platforms which the people could use to alert the police about crime.
“ We want to motivate the men to serve the public better and we are creating more platforms in this direction.
“I know the Lagos State Police Commissioner, Mr Fatai Owoseni, has launched “Flash Alert’’ that will assist members of the public to report crime promptly, but we are going beyond that now.
“We are going to have a “Flash Alert’’ that even if you do not know or have any police distress telephone number, once you are attacked and you press any part of your phone, it will send signal to the control room.
“We are also looking at other areas whereby if your phone is not close to you and you are attacked, you can shout and your phone will send a distress signal to the control room.
“There and then officers will come and assist you. This will leave the criminals with no time to carry out their despicable activities.
“Once you do that, you have helped us to reduce the time we use to attend to distress calls and once criminals know they no longer have enough time to operate, criminality reduces,’’ Hassan said.
On the use of technology, the AIG said that the police would deploy the technology to make it difficult for criminals to attack innocent members of the public.
He said:“We request the banks and other commercial institutions to ensure that effective Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras are installed in their premises.
“If anybody commits crime and runs away, we will have the video and the record on how to trace the person.
“So, all banks, financial houses, Shoprite and other shopping malls should ensure that cameras are installed in their work places.
“If there is a robbery, we will have a record of it in our system and that is what I want to enjoin the residents of Lagos State to do for us.
“They will also ensure that they have records of movements within and outside their institutions to help us see who comes in and goes out’’.
Hassan recalled that he had done something like flash alert while he was the Commissioner of Police in Edo.
“I have some youths who are experienced in information technology and I have tasked them to develop sophisticated software, and this one maybe ahead of what we have in Lagos State currently.
“In this innovation, you do not have to dial any number, you just press any part of your phone or you shout at the top of your voice and it sends a distress signal to the police.
“This will send signal to our control rooms and you will have quick response from our men which is our major plan for 2016.
On the Yuletide, he said that there was safety on the roads while people travelled for the Christmas and New Year because the zone deployed 15 patrol vehicles each in Lagos and Ogun.
“The measure under ‘Operation Safer Highways’ of the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Solomon Arase, ensured that the people were protected and travelled safe.
“Under the Safer Highways patrol, we provide, even though it may be small, for the policemen things that will make them not to stop vehicles and ask for money.
“Such include provisions like water and food so that they will not be hungry.
“The 186 patrol vehicles recently donated by the Lagos State Government were also deployed in strategic places.
“The presence of the police everywhere sent fear into the criminals as they knew that they will be caught on the least attempt to commit crime.
“I urge members of the public to have the numbers of the Divisional Police Officers (DPOs), Area Commanders, the commissioner of police and the control room.
“I want them to know that police officers will be willing to assist them in distress,’’ Hassan said.

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NCC Assures Safe, Accessible Digital Space

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The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has assured Nigerians of accessible, resilient and safe digital space in the nation’s digital economy.
The Executive Commissioner, Stakeholders Management, NCC, Rimini Makama, gave the assurance at the NCC’s Digital Economy Sensitisation Forum, with the theme, “Leaving No One Behind: Digital Access, Equity and Empowerment” in Abuja.
Makama said that the commission remained committed to ensuring that Nigeria’s national telecommunications infrastructure remained resilient, accessible and secure.
“Digital empoScientists Advocate Shared Responsibility To Boost Food Securitywerment must be inclusive. Without inclusion and equity, the benefits of the digital economy will remain unevenly distributed.
“The commission, through its Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) and other initiatives, is actively extending digital opportunities to the unserved, underserved, physically challenged and vulnerable groups through several impactful programmes,” he said.
The Publicity Expert for the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Dr Nihinlola Fefa, said that the association had been an advocate of cyber security awareness and sensitisation over the years.
“ATCON has been a very key stakeholder in the ICT and telecom industry. We have always advocated for cybersecurity awareness and sensitisation.
“We have been giving our own input over the years. We interface with all the telecom companies. We do a lot of studies, and we also give our contributions in so many ways,” she said.
She commended the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, for deploying technology into rural communities.
According to her, though Nigeria is doing well in the area of cybersecurity, there is room for improvement.
“We are in a good position right now and we can do better from the government side,” she said.
Also speaking, the Head, IT and Cybersecurity, National Data Protection Commission (NDPC), Olorunisomo Isola, said that the commission had rolled out the necessary framework.

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Expert Tasks Nigerians On AI

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An economist, Dr Chinedu Amadi, has urged Nigerians to leverage the opportunities inherent in Artificial Intelligence (AI) to become competitive in the global business and social spaces.
Amadi, who is also the President, Organisation of Youth in International Trade and Commerce (OY-ITC), gave the urge during an interview with newsmen , in Abuja, Monday.
Amadi noted that humanity has always advanced by expanding its intelligence and capabilities through technology across different eras pointing out that AI now drives economic systems, social interactions and competitive advantage among nations globally.
“The world is entering a phase where humans and intelligent machines will share cognitive functions, so Nigeria should innovate or risk being sidelined in the emerging global digital order.
“The next frontier extends beyond AI tools to a deeper relationship between human consciousness and machine intelligence. This phase has the dawn of shared human machine cognition shaping future innovation and development worldwide,” he said.
Amadi noted that countries like the U.S., Japan and China already integrated AI into national planning, logistics and defence operations.
He warned that a deeper wave of collaboration between humans and intelligent systems is rapidly emerging
urging Nigeria and other African nations not to remain passive observers in this technological transition.
“Nigeria must innovate urgently or risk missing another major industrial revolution. Future global leadership will favour nations that create, regulate and ethically manage advanced technologies,” he added.
He said that the youthful population is viewed as a potential cognitive economy capable of driving digital creativity.
He advised policymakers and institutions to develop indigenous technologies, reflecting national priorities and moral values.
The president, however, noted that energy and agricultural sector can gain efficiency through predictive AI and advanced computation, adding that governance can also benefit from digital systems that strengthen transparency and curb corruption.
While noting that neural interfaces and quantum processing would soon merge human thought with computationAmadi said that the evolution demands ethical guidance, empathy and deeper human conscience in education system.
According to him, nations worldwide are racing to regulate AI and Nigeria also needs to define its strategic position.
“The future beyond AI will favour societies that balance innovation with wisdom and uphold human dignity,” he said.

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NIGCOMSAT Expands Nigeria’s Digital Broadcast Subsector By 35%

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The Nigerian Communications Satellite (NIGCOMSAT) Limited says the country’s digital broadcast subsector  has expanded by 35 per cent to 75 per cent utilisation in two years.
This, it said, represented a milestone in the country’s digital transformation drive.
The Managing Director, NIGCOMSAT, Mrs Jane Egerton-Idehen, made the remark  at a retreat with the theme: ‘Aligning for the Future: Innovation, Collaboration, and Sustainable Growth”, in Abuja, Monday.
According to her the theme reflects NIGCOMSAT’s commitment to driving Nigeria’s digital transformation and positioning itself as a global satellite industry leader.
She said one of the notable achievements in its broadcast segment was the Digital Switch Over (DSO) project, describing it as not just a technical milestone but also a national service.
“This growth is a testament to the organization’s improved service delivery and stronger engagement with partners and clients.
“The DSO project, a collaborative effort with the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), is a key milestone in Nigeria’s digital transformation.
“NIGCOMSAT’s contribution to the project is enabling digital broadcasting penetration across the federation, cementing the organisation’s position at the centre of Nigeria’s digital transformation,” she said.
Egerton-Idehen said the achievements were expected to drive revenue growth, with target of three billion naira in annual revenue and eight billion naira in revenue within three years adding that the organisation’s expansion of broadband services and private sector partnership was key to achieving the goals.
“We cannot move boldly into the future without addressing the weight of the past. Our debt profile — both financial and operational — is a reality we must confront with strategy, discipline, and creativity.
“These are our headwinds. We acknowledge them openly because honesty is the first step toward transformation.,” Egerton-Idehen said.
She said in spite of challenges such as economic barriers and competition, the organisation remained optimistic about the future.
“We must out-innovate the market, deepen partnerships, and build a culture of solution-focused, profit-driven, and people-centered excellence.”
“The key initiatives include transitioning to software-defined satellites, expanding broadband services, and the NIGCOMSAT Accelerator for the Space Ecosystem.
“The organisation is prioritising public-private partnerships, branding, and communication, as well as investing in its people,” she said.
The Chief Executive Officer, Data Science Nigeria, Olubayo Adekanbi, said satellite-based economy could revolutionise key sectors such as agriculture, health, and education, creating new job opportunities and increasing productivity.
“By providing internet access to remote areas, satellite technology can bridge the digital divide and ensure no one is left behind.

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