The Ondo State Governor, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu, has signed an executive order for the compulsory installation and use of close circuit television devices in all public and private institutions in the state.
This was contained in a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr Richard Olatunde, on Saturday.
According to the statement, 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 properties in all public and private institutions and centres throughout the state.
Scores of worshippers were killed during a terror attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo.
The massacre received condemnation from different groups, including the Christian Association of Nigeria.
But Akeredolu said the executive order would be enforced at all religious places of worship, financial institutions of all kinds, event centres, supermarkets, educational institutions, hotels, motels, guesthouses, inns, restaurants, clinics and health centres, eateries of all kinds, recreation or vehicular parks and other places regularly used by the public.
According to the statement, 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.
It stated that violators of the executive order would be prosecuted in accordance with Section 203 of the Criminal Code (Cap. 37) Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria.
Meanwhile, security experts have described the governor’s order as a welcome development that would further help to curb criminal activities.
A security expert, Oladele Fajana, said that the cameras would help security agents easily identify and arrest perpetrators of crime.
He said, “I am happy that the government is now waking up from its slumbers. It is a welcome development and a right decision in the right direction which other states will copy to follow up. At least, with this, criminals will be aware that someone is monitoring their movements and that will help security agencies to identify them.”
Fajana, however, urged security agencies to think ahead of criminals and ensure they are equipped to mitigate their actions.
Another security expert, Patrick Agbambu, said the installation of CCTV cameras was mandatory in public and private buildings globally, adding that the order was a welcome development.
Agbambu said, “CCTV doesn’t catch or stop the criminals from committing the crime, it just renders assistance in the case of any infringement or breach of the security in the vicinity; it will aid investigation and help to identify those who committed an atrocity.”