Security in Nigeria is compromised with recent increase in violent crimes like kidnapping, banditry, murder, armed robbery, burglary and terror attacks. With the March 28 bombing of the Abuja-Kaduna train, many Nigerians believe technology and aerial security would help strengthen the country’s surveillance systems.
Last week, the Nigeria Police Force acquired five additional high-powered Unmanned Aerial Vehicles or UAVs to improve surveillance operations and curb criminal activities.
“The drones will assist the Police in monitoring active crime scenes, coordinating response operations, and providing aerial support to responding officers,” read a statement from the police spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi.
Adejobi disclosed that the UAVs, popularly known as drones, were acquired in line with the police’s commitment to “explore avenues to enhance police intelligence-gathering capabilities and engage the application of cutting-edge technology in the fight against crime and criminality” in Nigeria.
According to him, the UAVs include an ALTI Transition, capable of covering up to 150km in a single flight with high endurance of up to 14 hours. He also noted that police pilots from the Police Airwing, who have undergone specialized training from engineers of the Elistair Company, will operate these UAVs remotely.
Adejobi did not state the particular areas the drones would be deployed. But independent experts say with the spate of violent criminal activities in the country; the newly acquired drones will significantly combat crimes and tame criminal acts in affected communities.
“In modern security framework and practice, such sophisticated technologies can completely do surveillance and tactically destroy the enemies of the state,” Ayomide Ilori, Crime and Security Studies lecturer at the Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology in Ikere-Ekiti, said.
He adds that the UAVs will help “the police with intelligence gathering through headlong surveillance of criminal activities and pre-empt criminal activities by coordinating response action and providing intelligence for aerial responding and land supporting officers.”
