The 32 Artillery Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Owena Barracks, Akure, on Saturday said it has deployed high technology, drone, to fight kidnappers and bandits within the forests of Ondo and Ekiti States.
The Brigade Commander, Brig.Gen. Zakari Logun Abubakar, who disclosed this on Saturday, at the launching of a high tech drone device in Osi community, Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State, said the drone, a Phantom 5DGI, procured by the Army, would assist the Anti-kidnapping Squad in identifying the movement and activities of suspected bandits, kidnappers and other criminals.
He said it would help to combat the criminal activities in the expansive forest of the two states, which in recent times has become a base for kidnappers.
“There are thick forests in these states and that is the advantage some of the criminals are using because some of the places you cannot penetrate them easily. So in line with the Chief of army Staff directive to have a responsive Nigeria Army in the discharge of its constitutional role, we decided to use technology in addition to the Anti-kidnapping Squad.
“We have two of these drones, one for Ondo and the other one for Ekiti State which would easily help us to fight the issue of this kidnapping headlong,” Abubakar said.
According to him, the device, which is the latest technology in aerial surveillance, can cover up to seven kilometres radius and is capable of recording and transmitting report back to the base.
