FG Revives Highway Security Patrols, Deploys CCTV To Boost Road Safety
The Federal Government has announced the reintroduction of security patrols on major highways across the country as part of efforts to tackle rising insecurity and improve safety for road users.
Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, disclosed this during an inspection of the Abuja–Keffi Highway at the weekend, saying the initiative was being implemented under the directive of President Bola Tinubu.
According to the minister, the revived Highway Security Patrol system will be coordinated by the Nigeria Police Force in collaboration with other security and paramilitary agencies. He said the government would support the operation with patrol vehicles, solar-powered street lighting and closed-circuit television (CCTV) surveillance systems.
“As directed by the President, we are reviving the Highway Security Patrol system under the police. We will provide vehicles, CCTV systems and solar lighting. Security officers will be strategically stationed along the highways, while emergency response time will be reduced to less than 10 minutes,” Umahi said.
He noted that the initiative forms part of a broader strategy by the Tinubu administration to address security challenges nationwide.
The minister also urged Nigerians to support ongoing efforts to improve security, stressing that the current administration inherited many of the challenges it is now working to resolve.
Meanwhile, Umahi directed contractors handling federal road projects to adopt more cost-effective pavement rehabilitation methods. He instructed them to mill only four centimetres of existing asphalt and blend it with 10 centimetres of stone base, instead of the previously used 20 centimetres.
According to him, the recycled materials should be stabilised with cement and compacted to create a durable pavement capable of lasting up to 50 years.
“Road infrastructure is critical to national development. Asphalt should not be removed unnecessarily because it still contains valuable bitumen. Milling and stabilising it with stone base and cement creates a strong, rock-like structure and reduces project costs,” he explained.
Umahi warned against wasteful construction practices and called for greater accountability among officials in the Ministry of Works, stressing that all public servants share responsibility for delivering quality infrastructure.
He further revealed plans to establish a modern highway monitoring centre equipped with ICT-driven surveillance technology capable of detecting incidents on roads in real time.
The minister said the pilot phase of the monitoring scheme would commence immediately and is expected to be completed within four months, with telecommunications providers supporting the deployment of the CCTV network.
