The Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye has said that there was need to deploy more technology that would help to reduce opportunity for crime.
Owasanoye said this at the 2-day joint operations of ICPC and Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) on effective and result oriented joint operations on Wednesday in Abuja.
He said that there was need for collaboration by law enforcement agencies for effective law enforcement, saying that most crimes cross boundaries.
According to him, somebody who is committing a road offence and has bribed an officer of the Road Safety and such officer had collected, that singular act falls under ICPC act.
“It also contravenes the criminal code and violates the road safety commission act as well .
“To be effective, law enforcement agencies must collaborate. Much more importantly, we need to deploy more technology that helps to reduce opportunity for crime.
“One good examples is the use of body cameras which we find usage in developed countries.
“Law Enforcement officers wear body camera and the public knows that transactions are been recorded and can be used and it helps to diminish corruption, “he said.
The ICPC chairman emphasised that retail corruption affected the daily livelihood of citizens.
Owasanoye said that if it could be controlled or significantly diminished, it would improve not just the experience of citizens with governance but also make governance for the leaders easier.
“This is because, then, people know that they are not under pressure for economic crimes and other issues and this is why collaboration is important to us, “he said.
Earlier, the Corps Marshal, FRSC, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi said that the Corps remained resolute in its commitment to live up to expectations of the statutory mandate.
Oyeyemi said that the Corps would also continually improve on the process and sustained stakeholder collaborations in an effort to create safer motoring environment for all Nigerian road users.
He said that the joint operations and collaboration with ICPC and DSS had led to the arrest of some of FRSC personnel due to the initiative of the corps.
He also said that it had been able to stem the sharp corrupt practices not only on the highways but even at the various driver’s license areas.
“Organisations need strong collaboration like this to be able to achieve the mandate set and the policy direction of the government.
“But without this, we will not be able to do this. We cannot do it alone. We need support from other agencies. When it comes to security and Intelligence, you must be ahead of the bad eggs so that you can catch them.
”And with the deployment of technology now, I think we will sustain this very well and this will bring down the cost of operations, ” he said.
The training workshop was designed to equip participants with desired skills and interact on ways to achieve effective and result oriented Joint Operations.
The training with the theme, ‘’Effective and Result Oriented Joint Operations’’ was for the purpose of addressing the issues tarnishing the corporate image of both organisations.
