Arase urges application of technology to fight crime

A former Inspector General of Police, Solomon Ehigiator Arase, has called on the force to embrace technology in its fight against crime.

He spoke at a conference held at Africa House, Government House, Kano, on “Awareness Creation on Effective Policing through ICT,” organised by the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC).

Arase, now the Managing Director of Solar Security and Consult, presented a paper on “ICT-An Enabler for Effective Policing, “ in which he said, “Police work globally has now become technology-driven and dynamic. Therefore, response to crime should be scientific.”

According to him, Nigeria should do its best to embrace ICT use in dealing with security challenges.“Once you are able to use technology you are a step ahead of a criminal,” he stressed.

According to the ex-IG: “Most law enforcement officers do not know the work and efficacy of ICT. We have not been able to harness the advantage of ICT in Nigeria.”

He insisted that the issue was not that the Nigerian police are not capable of dealing with crimes and criminals. “We simply need the application of the technology,” he said.

The former IGP further maintained that it was no longer feasible to arrest suspected offenders and start looking for evidence. That is no longer fashionable in modern day policing.

In his address the current Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim K. Idris, who was represented by the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone One, Ibrahim Adamu, commended the effort of the NCC for organising the conference and in trying to “incorporate an ICT engagement into the work of security agencies.”

The IGP, however, disclosed that the menace of unregistered SIM cards was posing a serious challenge to national security, which he was sure the NCC was doing its best to curb.

According to Idris: “NCC has done tremendously well in mopping up the dealers of unregistered SIM Cards. We must chart a new course in the fight against crimes and criminals.”

The Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Dambatta, assured that the commission would continue to collaborate with security agencies for a better and safer country.Security agents from the police, customs, immigrations, and lawyers, among others, attended the conference.