By Kingston Magare 28.11.2025
Nigeria’s House of Representatives said they are determined to find out what fate has befallen the Abuja CCTV project and where the $460m Chinese loan guaranty has gone into.
Speaker of the House Hon Abbas Tajudeen speaking while inaugurating an investigative committee Friday said against the background of a spike in crime in the Federal Capital Territory, it was important to know the state of the CCTV project which was started by the administration of Goodluck Jonathan in 2010 and till date has not seen the light of the day.
“This House, in exercising its constitutional duty of oversight, is acutely aware of the substantial investments made to secure our capital. Paramount among these is the Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) project, a sophisticated security infrastructure secured with a Chinese loan of Four hundred and Sixty Million Dollars ($460M).
“The fundamental question that has compelled the establishment of this Ad-hoc Committee is one that every Nigerian is asking: Why, despite this colossal investment, are our citizens still being terrorized, kidnapped, and killed in the FCT? Where is the digital shield that $460 million was meant to erect? Where is the deterrence, the intelligence-gathering capability, and the operational leverage that this project promised?”
He added that the FCT which is meant to be a well secured and peaceful city has now been overrun by hoodlums.
“It is sad and shameful that the city that has earned a reputation for itself as one of the most peaceful, most elegant, and most organized cities in West Africa, is now transformed into a haven for hoodlums and other nefarious characters.
“Nearly every other day, crimes of kidnapping and robbery occur with frequent loss of lives and property, turning the city into a nightmare for residents.
“Let me remind us that the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, is more than just a city. It is the symbol of our national unity, the heart of our democracy, and the face of Nigeria to the world. When insecurity festers here, it strikes at the very core of our nation’s sovereignty and shatters the sense of safety that should be the bare minimum expected by every citizen and resident.”