•Security Watch Africa Honours Bayelsa Gov
Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has approved the installation of closed-circuit surveillance cameras to cover parts of Yenagoa in order to boost security and crime prevention in the state capital.
The project, which entails the installation of 200 new cameras and the revamping of 50 others, is in furtherance of the administration’s Safe City Programme.
Governor Diri disclosed this during a three-day Security Watch Africa Initiatives-organised conference which ended on Thursday night in Doha, Qatar.
The keynote address of the Bayelsa governor, who is on annual leave, was presented by the state’s Security Coordinator and Coordinator of the Bayelsa Community Safety Corps, Brig-Gen. Eric Angaye (rtd).
According to the governor, “the use of technology as a critical enabler for security and law enforcement operations has received priority attention through the phased implementation of a Safe City Programme, which incorporates revamping a legacy 50 camera system and addition of 200 cameras to enhance surveillance and domain awareness.”
The governor stressed that his administration’s investment in physical, social and digital infrastructure was crucial for promoting peace and security in the state.
He also stated that implementing digital solutions to crime prevention enhance governance, public services, and economic opportunities.
At a dinner event on Thursday, Senator Diri was honoured as the Best Security Conscious Governor alongside his colleagues from Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and Katsina, Mallam Dikko Radda.
Other awardees included the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service, Adewale Adeniyi, Inspector-General of Police of The Gambia, Seedy Touray, and his Ghana counterpart, Dr. George Dampare among others.
The immediate past Chief of Army Staff, late Lt-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, was post-humorously honoured as the Most Outstanding Army Chief in National Defence in Africa in 2023/2024.