Former Senator Shehu Sani has expressed disappointment in the federal government, especially the previous administration, for not utilizing the $460 million borrowed from China to install CCTV cameras in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT Abuja. His reaction comes in response to the recent surge in bandit activities, including killings and kidnappings, in the territory.
In 2010, the Nigerian government secured a $460 million loan from the China-EXIM bank for the purpose of implementing a Closed-Circuit Television camera system in Abuja. The contract was awarded to the Chinese firm ZTE Communications, with the then Minister of Finance, Olusegun Aganga, signing a Memorandum of Understanding in Beijing, China.
However, after 14 years, the project remains unexecuted, leaving the nation’s capital grappling with a worsening security crisis. Shehu Sani expressed his frustration, stating that both the money and the cameras were essentially “kidnapped” by previous governments.
In a post on his official social media handle, Sani wrote, “Nigeria’s capital is experiencing an upsurge in cases of kidnappings; this is the same city that the previous federal government secured a $460 million Chinese loan for the installation of CCTV cameras. Both the money and the cameras have since been kidnapped by elements of the past Governments.”
It’s worth noting that in October 2019, the House of Representatives pledged to investigate the borrowed funds, particularly questioning why the CCTV cameras were not operational years after obtaining the loan.