By Angela Atabo
Minister of Works, Dave Umahi and the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Disu, have pledged closer collaboration to protect critical road infrastructure projects and combat insecurity on major highways across the country.
The pledge was made when the IGP paid a visit to the Minister in Abuja on Monday.
Umahi commended the police and other security agencies for providing protection for contractors and workers handling major federal road projects, particularly in areas where they were facing security threats.
The minister said in spite of challenges posed by insecurity in some parts of the country, the security support remained crucial to the continued execution of projects such as the Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway,
“If you did not do what you are doing in helping us over the numerous projects the president is doing, together with other survey chiefs and very cooperative national security advisers, it would have been totally impossible.
“For example, President BolaTinubu wanted to finish the 120 km by 2, 240 km of three lanes each in Sokoto this year.
“But we have encountered a lot of security challenges, and without your assistance and combined teams of security officers, it would have been difficult to forge ahead.”
He congratulated Disu on his appointment as IGP and praised him for his effective leadership at a difficult period,
The minister noted that the police had demonstrated professionalism in crime detection and national security operations.
“A comprehensive highway security framework will be developed to include the deployment of CCTV surveillance systems, solar-powered lighting, patrol vehicles, observation posts, drones and rapid response teams along critical transport corridors.”
Umahi said the initiative would begin with major highways across the six geopolitical zones, including the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Abuja-Kaduna-Kano Road, Enugu-Onitsha corridor, Eleme-Onne Road, and other strategic routes.
According to him, CCTV infrastructure and monitoring centres have already been installed on sections of the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos, with police personnel currently operating from dedicated observation centres to improve response times to incidents.
The minister added that the Federal Government planned to incorporate security infrastructure into the concession arrangements for major highways, including designated rest areas, police checkpoints and truck parks.
The minister also proposed the expansion of the Federal Highway Patrol into a more robust security outfit dedicated solely to highway protection.
According to him, such a structure could be funded through tolling and concession arrangements on major federal roads.
Umahi also advocated regulated private security partnerships under police supervision to reduce the burden on conventional policing and improve VIP protection services.
He said that fighting insecurity required collective responsibility from both government and citizens, urging Nigerians to support security agencies with credible information.
The minister, who defended the President’s request for loan, added that the Federal Government was investing the money in road and other infrastructure.
He explained that improved highways were essential for economic growth, commerce, national integration and security operations.
According to him, the present administration is handling road projects worth trillions of naira across the country. This includes inherited projects and four flagship legacy corridors designed to stimulate economic development.
Earlier, IGP Olatunji Disu, commended the Ministry of Works for embarking on transformative infrastructure projects capable of opening up new economic opportunities and reducing crime.
“You are working on the dream of a nation. You are working on the economy of people yet unborn. Because roads do not just carry daily bread. They carry the future of a nation.”
He disclosed that the Nigeria Police Force was seeking the establishment of dedicated security checkpoints, operational bases and drone surveillance systems along major highways to strengthen patrol operations and protect commuters.
The IGP also requested additional patrol and armored vehicles to support security operations on newly constructed roads, assuring the ministry that such assets would be deployed strictly for highway security duties.
Also speaking, Minister of State for Works, Bello Goronyo, described the partnership between the ministry and the police as vital to the successful implementation of the Federal Government’s infrastructure agenda.
Goronyo praised Umahi’s leadership in the road sector and called for sustained cooperation between security agencies and the Ministry of Works to ensure the ongoing strategic projects are completed without disruption from criminal activities.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
ATAB/ADA
Edited by Deji Abdulwahab
