The federal government says electric mobility initiatives in the North-East are helping to deny insurgents access to materials used in fabricating Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).
The Minister of State for Regional Development, Uba Ahmadu, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja.
Ahmadu said the North-East Development Commission (NEDC) procured 3,700 electric tricycles to transport passengers and convey farm produce from remote communities to markets.
He said the initiative was designed to ease transportation difficulties, restore economic activities and alleviate the suffering of residents displaced by insurgency.
“Insurgents use petroleum products and chemicals like fertilisers to devise the dangerous articles that they throw at people to eliminate human beings,” he said.
According to him, deploying electric vehicles would reduce dependence on petroleum products in affected areas and limit insurgents’ access to materials used in making bombs and IEDs.
The minister said the project would also generate carbon credits, describing it as a novel renewable energy initiative in the country.
Beyond the tricycles, Ahmadu said the commission had procured 285 electric taxis for deployment across the North-East.
He said the NEDC was concluding the construction of charging stations across the states, with commissioning expected within 10 days.
Ahmadu said the charging stations would create employment opportunities for youths through revenue collection, vehicle charging and other commercial activities.
He added that the facilities would encourage residents to adopt electric and solar-powered transportation options by providing commercially operated charging infrastructure.
The minister also disclosed that the commission had developed a Central Surveillance Security System to address insecurity across the North-East and other vulnerable regions.
He said the system would monitor highways, motor parks, markets, schools and other public areas round the clock to gather security information.
“The main purpose of this particular project is to gather information, data, movements, and deploy them to the security agencies who have the responsibility of taking action,” he said.
Ahmadu explained that the commission would share intelligence with relevant agencies, including the Nigerian Air Force, the Office of the National Security Adviser, the police and the Department of State Services.
He said the commission would not directly undertake security operations, but would provide information to agencies mandated to respond to threats.
“Security of lives and properties is the first responsibility of government, and that we are dealing with very, very seriously,” he said.
The minister said the combined deployment of electric mobility and surveillance infrastructure would strengthen security, support economic recovery and improve the quality of life for residents across the North-East.
