Using modern technology, Lagos arrest, track looters
By Akinola Ojo
The advance in technology is helping the Lagos State Government to handpick crooks who raided public and private properties to steal
The mass raid of private and public institutions was prompted by reports of violent attacks on protesters at Lekki in Lagos.
Sources told Irohinoodua that some 250 people have been arrested using high-power technology including but not restricted to CCTV camera and hidden chips kept by the Lagos State Government internal security operatives.
The source who does not wish to be named said the pictures and phone numbers of those who attacked The Nation newspapers and TVC have been obtained adding that the criminals “have no hiding place even if they put off their telephones.”
One source told our correspondent that the activities of the criminals were monitored from two digital control rooms across the country.
“Its easier for us. The technology enables powerful detectors to pick their telephone numbers even when kept in their pockets. We could monitor their movements, voice conversation and their location even after their departure from the scene of crime”, the source said.
According to him those who committed arson at Shoprite Lekki, Oba’s palace, burnt BRT buses and killed a police officer have all been arrested.
“Their arrest was made possible by the technology deployed which includes CCTV and cell phone tower pinging. This is a process whereby the network service provider gives information to the police about all the people with mobile phones inside Shoprite using the time frame the looting occurred as provided by the security.”
The source said apart from identifying those inside the Shoprite, the technology could detect genuine customers caught in the mayhem through what he called “identity scan”
The LASG has also deployed forensic experts for DNA analysis of obtained fingerprint information. Lagòs has the most efficient forensic laboratory in Nigeria
He said ” If you leave the Shoprite with any item you did not pay for, the scan will identify you”
Another source said “All the pictures of the cell phone owners and mobile numbers that pinged on the cell tower where handed over to the police and their images where matched on the CCTV footage.”
