To Curb Insecurity, Akeredolu Orders Compulsory Installation of CCTV in Public Places

Fidelis David in Akure

Ondo State Governor, Mr Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, has signed an Executive Order for the compulsory installation and use of Close Circuit Television (CCTV) devices in all public and private institutions in the state.

A statement issued yesterday by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr Richard Olatunde, explained that the order became imperative in the light of the increased spate of insecurity in the country and the need to ensure the security of lives and property in all public and private institutions and centres throughout the state.

The directive came weeks after suspected gunmen killed more than 38 people, including women and children at the St. Francis Catholic Church, in Owo Local Government Area of the state.

 The incident, which attracted condemnations from far and near, also left more than 50 persons sustaining various degrees of gunshot injuries.

 Akeredolu said the executive order shall be enforced at all religious places of worship, financial institutions (of all kinds), event centres, supermarkets, educational institutions (schools), hotels or motels, guest houses, inns, restaurants, clinics and health centres, eateries, recreation or vehicular parks and other places regularly used by the public.

The statement read: “Pursuant to Section 176 (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which vests in the Governor of Ondo State the Chief Executive powers of the state, the Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN) hereby issues the following Executive Orders:

“That the owners, occupiers, managers and operators of public or private institutions within Ondo State shall mandatorily install, use and maintain CCTV devices and other secret cameras to monitor and keep surveillance on the daily activities on their premises and especially monitor the ingress and egress of people/vehicles at the said places, venues and centres.

“That the installed CCTV devices apart from capturing all activities at the public/private institutions must also have data storage hardware and data stored therein should be made available to security agencies whenever it is required.

 “That the public or private institutions shall employ and maintain well-trained security personnel who shall man the entry and exit points to their various facilities/premises. That where necessary, the owners and occupiers of public/private institutions shall erect a well-fortified perimeter fence with a security post at the entry and exit points.”

The governor directed security agencies, including the Nigeria Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Ondo State Security Network Agency popularly known as Amotekun, and the Department of State Services (DSS) to enforce the directive across the state.

“That this Executive Order shall be enforced by all security agencies particularly the Nigeria Police, NSCDC, Amotekun Corps and DSS”, the governor added.

He stated that the violators of the order shall be prosecuted in accordance with Section 203 of the Criminal Code (Cap. 37) Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria.