The Importance Of Installing Cctv Security Systems In Your Property

Keep an eye on children and elderly folks
With a CCTV system at home, you can monitor the safety of your children and elderly folks while you are away. Besides, you can keep an eye on your maid and make sure nothing out of the ordinary is going on.

Closed-circuit Television, otherwise known as CCTV, is the use of a television system in which signals are not disseminated publicly but are monitored mainly for security purposes and surveillance.

The  video or digital cameras mounted strategically, transmit signals to a set of monitors observed at a specific place.

It is a technology employed by many developed countries to curb criminal activities, monitor movement as well as to prevent terrorism, which has assumed a dangerous dimension in some parts of the world.

The cameras are installed in major cities and public places such as schools, banks, hospitals and shopping malls with a view to protecting lives and property of the citizenry, which of course is a major duty of any government.

China, The United Kingdom, and The United States of America are examples of countries that have recorded success through the use of CCTV cameras for the prevention of crime and tracking down criminals.

Statistics show that the United Kingdom as at 2011, had the largest network of surveillance cameras with an estimated One point nine million cameras.

Similarly, in 2010, Beijing, the capital of China had over four hundred thousand CCTV cameras installed to help tackle security challenges and the enforcement of law and order.

No doubt, the importance of cameras cannot be over emphasized particularly in Nigeria, where the nation has been faced with criminal activities such as kidnapping, pipeline vandalism, insurgency and armed robbery.

Security Agencies, through surveillance cameras could prevent, track down hoodlums and solve criminal cases with material evidence without much ado.

The surveillance footage in the CCTV has always been a crucial piece of evidence dummy in police investigation during prosecution in court.

Aside this, organisations, hospitals, shopping malls, motor parks and other heavily populated places deploy the use of surveillance cameras to monitor movement in and around their environment as the case may be.

In April 2013, investigation revealed the two suspects in the Boston Marathon bombing, consequently leading to their arrest.

Recently at Owerri in Imo state, the surveillance cameras installed in a commercial bank assisted the police in apprehending suspected robbers that invaded the bank carting away millions of Naira and killing innocent persons.

Despite the numerous advantages inherent in the use of CCTV cameras, it is observed that the technology has not been widely embraced in Nigeria when compared with other developed countries.

This facility is only feasible in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and Lagos; a situation which is not acceptable.

Just recently, Oyo state government announced its decision to install cameras in major cities to complement the activities of security agencies.

This is a commendable step that must be replicated immediately by other states in the country.

Though, it may be capital intensive, it is a project worth spending on, especially to tackle insurgency and other criminal activities bedevilling the nation.

For its safety and effectiveness, government can commission security outfits to monitor CCTV cameras against vandalism.

Some have argued that the installation of CCTV camera is an invasion of people’s privacy, but how long will government continue to fold its arm and allow crimes to be committed on daily basis?