Doyin Okupe, a former Senior Special Assistant to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan has called on the Federal Government to adopt technology to tackle banditry and other forms of insecurity confronting the country.
Okupe explained that technology was also adopted during Jonathan’s administration in monitoring Boko Haram activities in Bama, Borno State.
“When we were in government and there was a crisis in Bama. Boko Haram attacked a village called Bama and burnt down houses. Several districts were burnt. We got satellite pictures of Bama and I was able to count the number of houses in every unit that were burnt, including the ones that were not burnt.
“I have not seen enough seriousness in any arrangement that we are making that can stop them. We can use satellite images and drones,” Okupe said.
Reacting further on how the Federal Government is handling banditry, Okupe condemned negotiations noting that this only breeds insecurity.
Okupe stressed that technology involves investment and the Federal Government should embrace this option.
“This attempt of backslapping terrorists and bandits by negotiating with them and giving them money is not going to work. Banditry and kidnapping can only continue as long as it is profitable and there are no consequences.
“There are commercial satellites that are available that can picture anything that has the minimum width of 12 inches. A man has more than 12 inches in width.
“From a room in Abuja, you can monitor a forest in Zamfara and see everybody that is moving. We just have to deploy money and technology,” he added.
The former presidential aide said the more criminals can get away with banditry, the more people will keep investing in it.
