Nigeria Police acquire UAV’s to shapen operations against criminals
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, has acquired five additional high-powered Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to improve surveillance operations to checkmate criminal activities in the country.
The acquisition is in line with the IGP’s vision and mission statement of the Force which is incorporating technology-driven policing.
Baba is determined to integrate the use of innovative technology into the law enforcement duties of the Nigeria Police Force and ultimately enhance its intelligence gathering and operational capabilities of the Nigeria Police Force.
The drones will assist the Police in monitoring active crime scenes, coordinating response operations, and providing aerial support to responding officers.
The UAVs include an ALTI Transition, capable of covering up to 150km in a single flight with high endurance of up to 14 hours, and an Elistair Orion fixed-wing aircraft, capable of covering up to 92m altitude with high endurance of up to 50 hours and other sensitive and Nigeria Police Force forensic-based features.
These UAVs will be remotely operated by police pilots from the Police Airwing who have undergone specialized training from Engineers of the Elistair company, who were flown in from France at the instance of the IGP, for a week-long training schedule, Nigeria Police Force and have acquired technical skills and requisite know-how in the operation and maintenance of the procured UAVs.
The IGP has however directed the immediate, adequate, and strategic deployment of these drones to areas prone to high-security breaches, for monitoring and Nigeria Police Force intelligence gathering to tackle criminality headlong.
Baba has further reiterated the firm determination of the Police leadership to continue to explore avenues to enhance police intelligence-gathering capabilities and
Nigeria Police Force engages the application of cutting-edge technology in the fight against crime and criminality while seeking full cooperation from members of the public on intelligence gathering and vigilance.
