Combating insecurity and criminality with engineering and technological concepts is the best thing to do in any 21st century society. Although it may be a bit expensive at the initial stage, but it is always proactive, certain, less stressful, low casualties and extremely effective.
These were some of the conclusions reached by the facilitator and particioants at the Public Lecture jointly organised by The Nigerian Police Force, Ekiti State Command and The Nigerian Society of Engineers, Ado Ekiti Branch with the title, “Engineering Policing: The Panacea for Internal Security Challenges in Nigeria”, held at the Nigerian Police officers mess, Okesa, Ado Ekkti on Thursday 22nd September,2022.
The facilitator, SP. Aliyu Yakubu described Engineering Policing as a new concept diligently propounded to addressing the contemporary internal security challenges bedeviling the Nigerian Society. He further explained that the concept made preference to proactive rather than the usual reactive policing strategy now obviously undermining the tactics of the security agencies, especially the leading internal security outfit (NPF) in the country.
SP Yakubu defined Engineering Policing as “The Effective Deployment of Engineering and Engineering Technology in the Detection and Prevention of Crime”. He cited some practical examples of Engineering Policing such as the deployment of RFID chips of Mechatronics Engineering which can be used in tracking and locating hideouts of criminals such as bandits, cattle rustlers, kidnappers, terrorists etc, aside the necessary tracking of the mobile networks.
The concept is aimed at the deployment of the likes of the artificial intelligence (AI), internet of things (IoT), robotics engineering and so on, for efficient and effective policing strategies in Nigeria, the facilitator posted. “Thought, it might seems to be costly, but no any amount is too big in securing the lives and properties of the masses”, he said.
Other Engineering Policing strategies discussed at the Public Lecture include deployment of drones, body cameras, tranquilizers, all terrain trucks and other modern crime fighting equipments and gadgets.
In reactions to the well delivered lecture, eulogies were accorded the presenter, the NPF and the NSE by the Chairman of the Nigerian Society of Engineers Ado Ekiti Branch, Engr. Dr. O. O. Aluko and other dignitaries at the event such as the past chairman Engr. Prof. O. M. Ogundipe, immediate past chairman Engr. E. K. Afuye and Chairmen of NICE, NIMechE and NIEEE in Ekiti State among others.
They all agreed that governments at all levels should look in the way of Engineering Policing in solving the myriads of security challenges bedeviling the nation at the moment .
The Chief Host of the Public Lecture was the Commissioner of Police Ekiti State Comman, CP Moronkeji Adesina, co-hosted by the commands O/C Medical, CSP Dr. Ukhemigbewon Famewo. The Chairman of the occasion was the NSE President, Engr. T. S. Gidari-Wudil.
