The Contractor Just Came And Installed Useless Cameras And …. – Senate Probes N500 Billion Abuja CCTV Cameras Project
The Senate has decided to investigate the abandoned installation of CCTV cameras in the Abuja metropolis, a contract previously valued at $460 million and awarded to a private contractor during the administration of late President Umaru Yar’adua.
The resolution to probe the contract was passed following a motion presented by Ned Nwoko (PDP, Delta North) during the plenary.
Nwoko highlighted that despite existing security measures, kidnapping and other insecurity challenges persist in the Federal Capital Territory.
He shared an incident where his senior legislative aide and 18 others were abducted, resulting in the killing of 12 victims while efforts to rescue the remaining seven are ongoing. Nwoko called for a joint security operation involving the Nigerian Army, the police, and the State Security Services (SSS) for the rescue operation.
He urged the Senate to support security agencies in facilitating the installation of CCTV cameras in Abuja and other parts of the country.
Ede Dafinone (APC, Delta Central) seconded the motion, emphasizing the urgent need to address kidnapping and security challenges nationwide. Enyinnaya Abaribe (APGA, Abia South) and Adamu Aliero (PDP, Kebbi Central) also contributed to the discussion, with Aliero revealing that N500 billion was allocated to a contractor for the CCTV camera installation during his tenure as FCT minister. Aliero called for a probe into the abandoned contract.
“The contractor just came and installed useless cameras and nobody is saying anything.
“It is now time for us to revisit that issue of the N500 billion award of contract for installation of CCTV cameras in the city.
“We should make the contractor account for the huge loss of money. The project has gone down the drain and nobody is talking about it,” Mr Aliero said.
After a debate on the issue, Senate President Godswill Akpabio conducted a voice vote, with a majority of senators expressing support for the investigation into the abandoned installation of CCTV cameras in Abuja.
Akpabio directed the Senate Committee on FCT to collaborate with the Office of the Minister of FCT to conduct the investigation. He also urged the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to enhance surveillance patrols in Abuja to address kidnapping and other security challenges.
The Senate President instructed the Clerk of the Senate, Chinedu Akubueze, to communicate the resolution to the relevant authorities. The failed Abuja CCTV camera project had previously undergone legislative scrutiny in the House of Representatives during the 9th National Assembly.
In 2019, then-Minister of Finance Zainab Ahmed revealed to a House committee that Nigeria was still servicing the $460 million Chinese loan obtained in 2010 for the CCTV cameras in Abuja, even though the project was not executed.
Following this disclosure, SERAP (Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project) wrote a letter, invoking the Freedom of Information Act, to the Minister of Finance, requesting detailed information on the project. When the information was not released, SERAP filed a lawsuit against the minister and the federal government, seeking a court order to compel disclosure.
In May of the current year, the Federal High Court in Abuja granted SERAP’s request, ordering the outgoing President Muhammadu Buhari government to “account for the spending of $460 million Chinese loan to fund the failed Abuja Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) project.”
The court also directed the government to “publish the total amount of money paid to Chinese and local companies and contractors, specific details of the names of the companies and contractors, and the status of the implementation of the project.” However, there is no indication that the judgment has been complied with.
