The House of Representatives has urged security agencies, including the police, to deploy surveillance cameras, satellite technology, and other advanced tracking tools to monitor and eliminate bandits and terrorists across Nigeria.
This resolution followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Hon. Billy Osawaru (APC, Edo) during a plenary session on Wednesday.
Key Resolutions by the House:
- Deployment of Surveillance Technologies
- Security agencies should use satellite cameras and digital tracking tools to monitor bandit activities remotely.
- Surveillance drones and AI-powered monitoring systems should be introduced.
- Forest Operations Against Bandits
- The police, military, and local vigilantes should launch coordinated operations to clear forests used as hideouts by bandits, terrorists, and armed herdsmen.
- Neighbouring regions should be secured to prevent criminals from relocating.
- Stronger Community Policing
- Collaboration with Amotekun, Civilian JTF, and other security outfits to provide real-time intelligence.
- Holistic Security Overhaul
- Review Nigeria’s security architecture to develop new and effective anti-terror strategies.
- Implement crime-prevention measures that address root causes such as unemployment and social instability.
Rationale Behind the Motion:
Hon. Osawaru noted that Nigeria’s security crisis has worsened, leading to a surge in:
- Terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and armed robbery.
- Destruction of farmlands, worsening food security.
- Rising crime rates, affecting investment confidence and economic activities.
- Increasing ransom payments—the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reports that Nigerians paid ₦2.23 trillion as ransom between May 2023 and April 2024.
Implications & Next Steps
- Security agencies will assess the feasibility of deploying surveillance tech.
- The police and military may expand forest combing operations.
- Funding for security technology and personnel training could be prioritized in upcoming budgets.
This move signals a stronger commitment by lawmakers to tackle insecurity head-on, leveraging modern technology and local intelligence to curb the spread of banditry across Nigeria.
