Using CCTVs to Check Crimes in Our Cities
June 6, 2008 by 
JOACHIM EZEJI · Leave a Comment
The increasing wave of crime in urban Nigeria is already a cause for concern. Owerri and Port Harcourt, just like many other major towns in Nigeria are already taking their shares of many of these crimes. Crimes like Armed Robbery, Assassination, Car Snatching and kidnapping of human beings for ransom etc are already big blots in most of our cities.
These crimes have continued to happen without any effective mitigation strategy or arrest of perpetrators. Other dangerous trends on the rise are the unabated rate of fly-tipping in urban neighborhoods, street trading and traffic indiscipline and the sex sessions with insane (mad) women which often result in unwanted pregnancies etc.
In February 2008, I was one of those caught in the cross fire of armed robbers who had held Owerri city hostage for well over one-half hours. On that day, I had gone to the bank to get money and was one of those who missed the rain of bullet by whiskers. I had hastily taken refuse in the toilet of Intercontinental bank, lying flat on the toilet floor to be safe. It was a hell of experience which has stuck in the inner recesses of my memory though I have since devoted it all to God for his grace.
I still thank God, because he alone rescued me, and without him it would have perhaps been something unpalatable. I also know that many Nigerians have resorted to God, committing all to him, particularly their life and security. This is borne out of outright failure of the government to get on top of the everyday risks such as daylight armed robbery, assassination, car snatching and kidnapping of human beings for ransom etc that have come to haunt us.
