EVALUATION OF CCTV AND BIOMETRICS AS ICT TOOLS FOR CURBING CRIMINALITY IN NIGERIA: A STUDY OF EBONYI STATE POLICE COMMAND ABAKALIKI

This evaluative study examines the use of CCTV and Biometrics as Information and Communication Technology (ICT) by the Nigerian Police Force ((NPF) in curbing criminality in Nigeria. Using the Ebonyi State Police Command Abakaliki (ESPC Ai) as a case study, the survey research method and interview were the research designs used to elicit relevant responses from a sample of 25 respondents. The study adopted the purposive sampling technique and therefore sought to gather the views of the police officers who are directly involved in Investigation and ICT department/unit. The findings showed that CCTV and Biometrics play crucial roles in crime prevention and have great advantage over the traditional approach for crime prevention but that the Nigerian police however, are very less effective in the use of these technologies for policing. The research also discovered that the Ebonyi State Police Command Abakaliki has not made significant progress in the use of CCTV and Biometrics for crime control. The study, thus, recommended the immediate installation of CCTV and Biometrics in all police stations across the country; training and retraining of police personnel on the use of ICTs was also suggested as a priority for policy makers. Key words: ICT, NPF, Criminality, CCTV, Biometrics.