Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has handed over to the Nigeria Police, the Intelligence and Surveillance Centre that was built by his administration with the sole aim of boosting efforts of the security agencies in crime fighting in the state.
Wike made the hand over, last Monday, at the inauguration of the Intelligence and Surveillance Centre in Ogbum-Nu-Abali community, Port Harcourt.
The inauguration was performed by the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba.
The governor said the centre was fitted with the latest technology, adding that it would help in improving crime fighting capability of police officers and make the state safer.
He noted the need to create more conducive climate for people to go about their various endeavours and encourage the business community to operate their investments with greater sense of security.
“Let me say clearly, this is our own contribution to making sure we have peace, fight insecurity, and that those who do business and reside here sleep with their two eyes closed.”
Wike assured that another Intelligence and Surveillance Centre would be built and donated to the police in the next six months.
Together, the two centres, Wike enthused, would be part of the continued support of his administration towards strengthening the capability of the security agencies in their fight against criminality in the state.
Wike pledged to purchase and donate 10 more armoured vehicles to the Intelligence and Surveillance Centre to strengthen the performance of officers that would be deployed to the centre.
The governor noted that crime fighting in the state has improved tremendously since the Inspector General of Police was appointed.
This is because instead of interfering, he has encouraged professionalism among his officers, he said.
Wike recalled that before the IGP was appointed, police commissioners posted to Rivers State were changed intermittently, which affected crime fighting in the state.
“Let me commend our special guest of honour for the support you’re given to this command to fight crime. I want to say it on good authority that since you came, we have had peace, we have had good relationship with the police command, unlike what used to happen before when, in one year, we had over eight commissioners of police. I thank you for not bringing politics into security issues. That is why, today, Rivers people can count this as one of the safest states.”
In his speech, Inspector General of Nigerian Police, Usman Alkali Baba, thanked Wike for providing the centre that would enhance the police’s capability to perform according to international best practices.
“Your excellency, this project is a main boost to my agenda of policing Nigeria in this contemporary time, which is in tandem with providing international best practices of using technology and ICT to police with ease.”
According to him, the entire state capital, Port Harcourt, would be under surveillance and monitored within the control room of the centre.
Baba noted that the services to access at the Intelligence and Surveillance Centre would be combined with the police Cyber Crime Unit to render improved policing to Nigerians.
“I want to assure you that police will make use judiciously of this centre in collaboration with our cybercrime unit to tackle all forms of crime and criminality. We will do the needful to discharge our duty as expected.”
The centre, he noted, can also be opened to other security agencies, on the basis of collaboration, synergy and cooperation to achieve real time monitoring of crime incidences and apprehension of the culprits.
“You can sit and police Rivers by getting a live time incident report and you can also have the opportunity to send a team that is on standby at the station. I think this is the international practice we will encourage, and also appeal to other state government and other stakeholders to repeat such project that will make human factor not an issue.”
In his remarks, Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Mr.OkonEffiong, said the donation of the Intelligence and Surveillance Centre by the Wike’s administration was another of his outstanding and unflinching support to the police in the state.
He explained that there were about 150 CCTV cameras installed in strategic places across Port Harcourt, and connected to the centre to keep the city under the surveillance radar on 24-hour basis daily.
“The governor had earlier provided for the installation of CCTV security and surveillance cameras at all the entry and exit points in the state. He has also graciously given approval for the installation of cameras in all the major cities in the state. In Port Harcourt, for instance, about 150 cameras are being mounted. What this translates to is that from this centre, the entire state will come under surveillance radar that will be active 24/7.”
Effiong also said that there were 10 sectors into which the state capital has been delimited with dedicated teams that would respond to incidences.
According to him, if activities at the crime scene become overwhelming, Effiong said, the strike-force team that is on standby at the centre will offer a backup.
Providing a description of the project, the Rivers State Commissioner for Special Projects, DeinmaIyalla, said there was a main building where the different gadgets were installed and connected to the control system.
The main building, he stated, also has 17 offices that are well equipped with facilities that would enable the personnel perform in-office duties.