A bill for an Act to make provision for ‘Integration
of Private Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) Infrastructure’ into the national
security network in Nigeria has passed the second reading.
At the resumption of plenary at the House of Representatives on Wednesday, the sponsor
of the bill, Hon. Awaji-Inombek Abiante, said the proposed legislation would
provide that every private organisation in Nigeria shall within six months of this
Act coming into effect, install CCTV cameras within and outside its premises.
This, he said, was in view to maintaining perimeter
security in medium-high secure areas and installations; observing behaviour of
people in order to detect criminal activities within and outside the
geographical location of the company; identifying criminal(s) within a
reasonable time frame; providing adequate evidence for use in court; and
obtaining a visual record of activities in situations where it is necessary to
maintain proper security or access control.
Abiante said the objective of the bill is to expand
the security network infrastructure in Nigeria with a view to protecting the
lives and property of its citizens.
The lawmaker explained that the bill also proposes
that all private companies in Nigeria shall apply or inform the Commissioner of
Police in its area of jurisdiction about the installation of the CCTV camera
within and outside its premises, adding that the bill will grant access to
private companies’ CCTV camera by the police and the courts during the course
of investigation and trial of suspected criminals.
Abiante
noted that “any company or organisation in Nigeria that refuses, out of
neglect, to install CCTV camera within and outside its premises is liable to a
fine of at least N500,000 or an imprisonment of six months or both.
“Continual refusal to install CCTV camera shall
attract a fine of at least N1 million or a year imprisonment or both.”
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