The House of Representatives on Wednesday passed for second reading, a bill seeking to make installation of Closed Circuit Television Cameras compulsory for private offices and buildings.
Owners of building without CCTVs may be fined between N500,000 and N1m.
Sponsored by Awaji-Inombek Abiante, the proposal is titled ‘A Bill for an Act to Make Provision for the Integration of Private Closed Circuit Television Infrastructure into the National Security Network in Nigeria.’
Abiante said, “The broad objective of this bill is to expand the security network infrastructure in Nigeria with a view to protecting the lives and properties of its citizens.”
The bill read in part, “Every private organisation in Nigeria shall within six months this Act comes into effect install CCTV within and outside its premises with a 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.”
On investigation and prosecution of crime, the bill 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 within and outside its premises.
“This Act grant access to private companies’ CCTV by the police and the courts during the course of investigation and trial of suspected criminals.”
On defaulters and penalties, the bill proposes 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 N1million or a year imprisonment or both.
“Where there is a complaint of missing of items, lives and property, and the company/organisation within the complaint area is unable to make its CCTV available to the law enforcement agents during the course of its investigation, such company/organisation shall be liable for negligence and charged as an accomplice of the crime.
“The High Court of a state shall have jurisdiction over the offences.”
Source: Punch
