Lagos launches 24-hr surveillance camera operation
Written by Olasunkanmi Akoni & Adeyemi Ogundele
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Plans by the Lagos State Government to fully commence operation of a 24-hour surveillance cameras aimed at monitoring daily situation across the metropolis through the security and command centres has reached advanced stage setting the stage for full operation soon.






It will be recalled that Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State at the commemoration of his 400 days in office disclosed plans to install Close Circuit Television (CCTV) across the state as part of efforts to particularly reduce crime rate.

The multi-million naira initiative which is to be executed under the Safe City Project is being financed through the Security Trust Fund of the state government.

Fashola and some members of the state Executive Council yesterday conducted an inspection and demonstration of the facility at the Lekki temporary control unit.

In his remarks at the end of video presentation of the system, the governor who acknowledged the support and understanding on the part of Lagos residents in making the plan achievable, declared that the project would further enable the state government’s security apparatus improve their capacity to respond to emergencies.

His words: “This used to happen in movies, we are here to demonstrate what we are doing while we are waiting for the completion of the Central Security and Command Centre that would house all these facilities as well as house heads of departments that comprises of ambulances, the traffic, rapid response.

“We realize the difficult challenges and the terrain in which we operate, but we have determined not to be fazed by challenges but we will think out of the box.

“18 million people can not be protected and policed by 33,000 people, this is impossible. And no matter how high we try to increase the number of officers, it is evident we can not continue to do the same things and expect different results.”

“In an information technology driven world we have to be counted as one of those states and communities who will adopt best practices, cameras, sensors, tracking devices are the nerve centre of these facilities that would assist men and officers of the police force, fire service among others to do their duty much more effectively.

“This is only one step in the whole platform, Lagossians must recall that the platform started with the signing and naming of streets, providing directional signs for responders to get to crisis centre on time with the deployment of the emergency number, 767 which is toll free. With this initiative, we are determined to make a difference.”

Fashola however reiterated the call on hands to be on deck saying that concern of security in anywhere in any state is the concern of everybody in the state.

“The Security Trust Fund is an opportunity for everybody to contribute to security, it is not tax, but we ask you to learn a hand to take our city away from law breakers and criminals, if we get more money we will certainly do much more.”

This, he said would help government to further achieve the most important responsibility and deliver on most important obligation to keep the very watchful eye on 18 million Lagos residents.

According to Fashola, the measure was part of efforts to be able to secure and protect every resident as well as respond when emergencies do happen as they will happen.

He stressed that for effective operations all the heads of security agencies, Rapid Response Squad (RRS), LASAMBUS, LASTMA, who are to be stationed ultimately at the command centre would have a unit so that when the need to response arises they pass the information to concern agencies.

On fire incidents in the state, he said: ” If you do a comparative analysis between last two years, there is increasing demands not only in the number of fire disasters but in the number of accidents and disasters that happens in this state, not only we are responding but we are advocating on the need to be more careful. Each season come with it’s own challenge.

“More importantly, this will enable us improve our capacity to respond to emergencies. The 767 is still functional. I want to stress here that these cameras on their own can not do nothing unless people engage in using that number 767 which will set the process in motion.”

While explaining the demonstration of the project, the General Manager Fastrack a foreign experts Consulting firm, Mr. Adir Mizrahi said that the target for the state is to install 10,000 cameras that would feed the centre with data via wireless communication network.

He added that the system has tracking devices that could monitor and track even suspicious movement anywhere in the state.

http://odili.net/news/source/2009/jan/14/315.html

Hi Funmi

long time no talk

WOOHOO!!! Big Brother Comes to Lagos!!! Fingers Crossed here, hope this works !!! lol

make them no steal they camera oh!

Hi Funmi

long time no talk

Who is Xavier again?

WOOHOO!!! Big Brother Comes to Lagos!!! Fingers Crossed here, hope this works !!! lol

I know you are praying for that project to fail woefully so you can laugh and fart loud with Nuzo? We know our well wishers.

Funmi cant belive u could forget me so easily - to think of how much i think about u daily, it is heart rending

fashola fire on and shame all the naysayers and pessimists always pouring scorn on every single government initisative while sitting down abroad

I was never a fan of the CCTV thing even the whole time I was living in London. I found it too weird lol. Everywhere you go, camera dey watch you haba! But this might actually work for Lagos. I just hope people let it work the way it's supposed to.

Ok, let me get this right. . .

1. where is the camera feed linked to, police station or governor's office?

2. so you spot earTHMama at 7up bus stop comitting crime, shortly afterwards she jumped on a molue that drove off. Using the camera image and info, how do you track her down and arrest her?

3. so when there is power outage in an area or multiple areas, how do you then monitor events on the streets when your remote eyes are not active?

Has this been thought through or are we spending money on an impulsive and irrational project?

I believe cameras should be installed for remote monitoring and reporting of traffic flow so it will give drivers a forecast of the road conditions ahead of them. Lagos state had two towers that served this function years ago. They were called rattle twin towers. One was behind FESTAC in Iganmu and the other was across the bridge at Apongbon. They transmitted traffic broadcast on Eko Bridge and allowed optional use of Carter bridge to control flow of traffic. We should improve on what worked well in the past instead of creating new wheels that does not best fit with out society.

hehehe, the cameras must be solar powered(because nepa/phcn would not provide power), have night vision capability (because light no go dey where we dey use am watch), must have a supporting system to assist our birds eye view system for it to be useful(because the camera cant make arrests by itself), in case theres a crime in progress on GTB and SKKYE bank on ALLEN, we must make it possible for the men in black to arrive at the scene in good time (it taking 30minutes to travel between toyin street/opebi junction and allen roundabout by the RRS means they would arrive at the 'BBQ' late).

hopefully those monitoring the camera's would be disciplined enough to focus on crime and not zooom in on female back sides and barely hidden chests. trust me it(the cameras) can zoom something 150 meters away to make it seem like its "SHAKING" right in front of ur eyes.

Roflmao!!!

KOBO no laugh o, dem don talk say u dey pray make the system no work. cos it would be ur sole fault if this camera system doesnt work. any laugh can , shall, will, would, should, wont, shant, etc etc ati be be lo be used against u when the reality of it not working checks in on US.

You dey mind them? That is what we Nigerians are best at. Attacking individual Nigerians for not reasoning as we do on issues, rather than attacking the very system that continues to plague the nation with these problems. When we decide we have had enough and actually put that energy to changing things, then maybe we go see actual change in the system. All this na internet BULLYING which is typical in here. You have to wonder about these lives that feel attack PERSONS is the way to get their points across. lol

Go do some work already, engineer accountant,

I am loving this. This is just what we need in Lagos. A 24hr camera to catch all those thieves, and all those randy young thugs in Lagos, that stare at omoges. Will they use this camera to seek out, "indecent" dressed young ladies too?

***still trying to reserve my comment until later***

ROFLMAO @ Topic.

Is this really what lagos needs now??
Wats the possibility of this working??

B.O.S.S.:

***still trying to reserve my comment until later***

LOL!!!!

Same here!!

B.O.S.S.:

***still trying to reserve my comment until later***

hhhmmm,  pray tell why? Worried you will be labelled if you voice your opinion?? lol

Kobojunkie:

hhhmmm, pray tell why? Worried you will be labelled if you voice your opinion?? lol

Exactly, I don't want to be crucified as a prophet of doom by stating what I consider is a honest opinion (not that I'm predicting failure though).

Fashola is a trailblazer anyday. Warning for lagosians, watch your behind when next you do any shit stuff in public, your ass might be beamed live on TV

B.O.S.S.:

Exactly, I don't want to be crucified as a prophet of doom by stating what I consider is a honest opinion (not that I'm predicting failure though).

Well, watch out cause they are up early today!! roflmao!!

The cameras are solar powered i guess

Is this what lagosian really need?

lagbaja:

The cameras are solar powered i guess

I just cannot hold back, Is that because they can never be PHCN powered?

B.O.S.S.:

I just cannot hold back, Is that because they can never be PHCN powered?

Maybe there is a SECRET project on the way to light up Lagos just before the camera's go live ! You never know. . . I just read that the whole country generates about 3000 MW of Power, could be there are plans to divert all that to the working of the cameras. . . ''


disclaimer To those who can not stand opposing views of any kind, and to those who like to throw temper tantrums in response. . . I AM NOT PREDICTING DOOM OOO!!!


ROFLMAO!!!

Bhola, u berra leave somebody alone b4 we have them watch u too with the indecent dressing powered cameras.

I hope  they will install some CCTV to watch over pple looting our money Well,this na good move sha but I doubt if this go work for naija sha

hajifaty:

I hope they will install some CCTV to watch over pple looting our money Well,this na good move sha but I doubt if this go work for naija sha

Hajia, that would be IMPOSSICANT! it would cost too mush money so we would rather just add the money for such projects to that which they want to steal.

lagbaja:

The cameras are solar powered i guess

the only sensible comment, and i was almost giving up

must_a_far:

Hajia, that would be IMPOSSICANT! it would cost too mush money so we would rather just add the money for such projects to that which they want to steal.

Why are you complaining now. Make them dey watch us. It's not right for us to watch them (well we are not even allowed) to watch them. At least they are our leaders. They have no reason to explain their own actions do they?

B.O.S.S.:

Why are you complaining now. Make them dey watch us. It's not right for us to watch them (well we are not even allowed) to watch them. At least they are our leaders. They have no reason to explain their own actions do they?

@BOSS
Both slave and his master were born the same way. We get one head and our leaders also get one or  do they have extra robotic heads. Well, OBJ get big head and Yar dua get small head God dey sha ooo