The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, on Thursday, launched the N-Alert mobile application to help citizens in reaching out to security agencies across the country for swift intervention concerning crime, homicide or other security-related incidents.
According to the minister, the mobile application could have helped minimise the rate of human and infrastructural casualty during the infamous Kaduna-Abuja railway attack had a passenger alerted security agencies as at the time of the attack.
He said, “The government continues to commit resources to security agencies and their welfare. Security is the responsibility of everybody and what is important is vigilance. With the N-Alert mobile application, citizens can send real-time videos, audios and photos of all the incidents they wish to report.
“It is practically impossible to kidnap school children numbering over 20 on motorbikes without people noticing it. If it had happened before, it would not happen again.”
The minister said the slogan for the app is ‘see something, say N-Alert’.
Appealing to citizens not to abuse the mobile application by reporting fake emergencies, he said, “We appeal to the good people of Nigeria to not abuse the app as such will weaken the team’s response to genuine alerts.”
Also speaking at the event, the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, stated that his ministry would work in tandem with the Ministry of Interior for the success of the mobile security application.
He said, “What is being launched here today is going to be a game changer in the way we manage security, our lives and property in this country. One ingredient that is essential for the success of this application is information – getting the right information to the relevant agencies in the situation room for quick response.”