UNILAG gets 1000 CCTV cameras

A technology company, Bionomics Nig. Ltd., on Thursday donated  1,000 Close Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras to the University of Lagos (UNILAG) as part of its contributions to improved security.

The company signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the university on the project on Thursday in Lagos.

Its Managing Director, Mr Ugochukwu Onyedika, said at the event that there was the need to step up efforts in tackling security challenges in the  country through deployment of technologies.

Onyedika said that the objective of the project was to further strengthen the security architecture of UNILAG.

“We are delivering 1,000 CCTV cameras across the three campuses of this  university.

“It is a very innovative model, in the sense that the institution is not required to commit any funds.

“On the poles where we are going to be installing these cameras, we are also going to install digital advertising screens; that way, we are also going to deliver embedded revenue through advertising on campus.

“We have got thousands of students here as well as thousands of people that pass through this university every day, so that way, we can generate revenue and also deliver services to the institution,” he said.

He added that there would be a lot of analytics.

“We will keep information such as how many people come into the university, as well as show facial recognition.

“If you do something bad, the university can fish you out easily.

“For us, the university of Lagos provides the best spring board; we  we are going to extend  this gesture to other schools because we believe that security in Nigeria must be revolutionised,  but we have to take it one step at a time,” he said.

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The managing director gave the assurance  that the project would be flagged off by December.

The Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, described the partnership as laudable.

“I am happy that today, part of the vision that God gave me concerning the University of Lagos to  improve on its security architecture, is coming to reality.

“Look at the marine side of the institution, we have a newly-constructed marine police that is stationed there; this is now an addition to what we have here.

“Having about 1,000 cameras in the three campuses that we have, goes a long way,” he said.

Ogundipe expressed delight  that Bionomics was collaborating with UNILAG.

“It is going to be a win-win situation, a kind of symbiotic relationship, and UNILAG will be benefitting financially from it.

“It is not just bringing these CCTV cameras alone, we are also going to have adverts running on the poles, and we have agreed on what to do concerning that,” Ogundipe said.

According to him,  students will also  benefit from the projects, as there will  be free  Wi-Fi around the poles, which they can use to access lectures.

He said  that the CCTV cameras would  cover students hostel and every other place on campus.

“On the main campus alone, we are going to have 700 of these CCTV cameras. At the  Idi Araba and Yaba campuses (College of Medicine and Radiography) respectively,  we are going to have 300.

“Everything will be connected to the main platform here,” Ogundipe said.

Prof. Obinna Chukwu, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Management Services), commended the company for the gesture which, he said,   worth celebrating.

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He said that the technology would assist the university in crime  prevention and forensic analysis.

“These are high definition cameras that will assist in face recognition, even if you have tribal marks.

“These cameras will also be deployed at the exit spots of the university that will capture all the plate numbers  of vehicles coming in and going out of the university,” he added.