Reps launch probe Into failed $460m Abuja CCTV project amid rising insecurity
The House of Representatives has set up an ad-hoc committee to investigate the rising insecurity in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) despite the federal government’s investment of $460 million in a CCTV project funded through a Chinese loan.
At the committee’s inauguration on Thursday in Abuja, Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, described the growing cases of kidnapping, armed robbery and killings in the FCT as “unacceptable and intolerable.” He said Abuja, once regarded as one of West Africa’s safest capitals, has now become a hotspot for violent crimes. Abbas was represented by Rep. Julius Pondi.
He questioned why the multi-million-dollar CCTV system designed to boost surveillance and support security operations has failed to curb the escalating insecurity. He said Nigerians deserve answers on whether the project was fully implemented, abandoned or compromised.
The Speaker said the committee will conduct a forensic probe to determine the project’s current status, its functionality, level of integration with security agencies and reasons for its failure. The investigation will also look into possible negligence or sabotage and recommend steps to activate or overhaul the system.
He urged the Ministers of the FCT, Finance and Interior, the Inspector General of Police, area council chairmen and heads of security agencies to cooperate fully with the investigation. Abbas also appealed to traditional rulers to support security agencies through improved intelligence sharing.
He added that the House “will not stand idly by” while residents live in fear, stressing that lawmakers will deploy every legislative tool to ensure accountability and improved security.
Committee Chairman, Rep. Ojogo Kimikanboh, said Abuja has become a “theatre of fear,” noting that the committee’s assignment is a duty owed to grieving families and anxious residents. He described the failed CCTV initiative as a “scandal of monumental proportions,” adding that the system has not provided the security shield it was meant to deliver.
Ojogo outlined the committee’s tasks, including auditing the $460 million expenditure, examining the project’s technical integrity, determining its actual functionality and uncovering why insecurity persists despite the investment.
“We are not on a witch hunt but a truth hunt,” he said, adding that the investigation will be carried out with diligence and integrity.
The committee is expected to trace every dollar spent, review contract documents, determine the CCTV system’s operational state, identify those responsible for failures and recommend solutions to revive the project and improve security in the FCT.
