Train attack: What is integrated security surveillance and monitoring solution?

A day after the terror attack on the Abuja-Kaduna train, President Muhammadu Buhari directed the immediate conclusion of all processes for the implementation of the integrated security surveillance and monitoring solution for the Abuja to Kaduna railway line. The action must be extended to the Lagos-Ibadan railway line, he said.

Rotimi Amaechi, Nigeria’s transportation minister holds that had the integrated security surveillance and monitoring solution been in place, Nigeria “would have saved lives.”

“The process is tedious… You know if these items were here…..drones would have told you that there were people walking around here. There are drones that pick sensors….. Unfortunately, the process has not been able to get us that approval that we need to acquire these items,” Amaechi wrote on his verified Facebook page.

But just what is this solution that could have saved many lives and spared 362 people of the terror they saw during the attack?

What is integrated security surveillance and monitoring solution?

According to the United States-based Verified Electronic Security, integrated security surveillance and monitoring systems are the best options for providing any form of surveillance for any sized project.

“Not only do they offer the best in optimization, they will ensure all your bases are covered,” Verified Electronic Security explained. “Integrated security systems are a type of multi-layered system that uses different components and threads them into one.”

Read also: Buhari risks an awful legacy after Kaduna train attack

London-based Alarmtech explained that integrated security surveillance involves the installation of CCTV and high definition cameras around facilities or projects.

“Surveillance is the most basic part of any security system; it allows a business to record events in real-time. The strategic placement of surveillance cameras is crucial for protection from potential crimes, as well as the identification of perpetrators and the recovery of stolen goods,” Alarmtech said.

It noted that the surveillance cameras vary depending on their placement, environment, and features.

“Common types of surveillance cameras that are used in integrated security systems include dome cameras, fixed network cameras, axis cameras, tilt and pan cameras, and positioning cameras for auto-tracking,” Alarmtech added.

Why it is necessary

Kidnapping for ransom has become commonplace across Nigeria.

The Abuja-Kaduna highway is one of the most dangerous roads in the country as kidnappers have been known to have ambushed vehicles at several points along the expressway.

Over the last few years, this has pushed many to avoid the 150km (93-mile) journey by road instead of opting for the rail link, which opened in 2016. It is more expensive but considered safer as the trains have armed guards on board.

However, the tides have changed.

On Monday evening, seven passengers died after gunmen attacked a train between Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, and Kaduna city.

The gang mined the track forcing the train, carrying 362 passengers; Gunmen subsequently surrounded the carriages and opened fire, BusinessDay reported.

An unknown number of passengers were abducted from the train, considered the safest way to get between the cities.