IGP urges INTERPOL to step up detection/containment facilities to halt inflow of illicit arms; Interpol Chief harps on People/Police partnership, trust in crime fighting.

Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar Adamu has called on the International Police Organization (INTERPOL) to step up its crime detection and containment facilities particularly in the West Africa sub-region to help stem the inflow and proliferation of illicit arms which is fueling transnational crime in ECOWAS countries.

Speaking at the 2019 Interpol Week n Abuja, he said, “Much as the INTERPOL framework has been helpful in strengthening partnerships among national law enforcement agencies towards addressing the global security question, the issue of border security and management remains a constant threat.

“In Nigeria, INTERPOL has been supporting the law enforcement community in diverse ways particularly, in relation to criminal information processing and sharing, and global monitoring and apprehension of criminal elements. The Nigeria INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB) maintains Criminal Databases in this regard.

“These include the I24/7 Database which is currently being expanded under the Project Gemni with support of the American Government and West African Police Information System (WAPIS) Criminal Data Base which is being supported by the European Union.

“These projects are supporting our efforts towards combating cybercrimes, drugs and human trafficking, proliferation of small arms and light weapons, armed robbery, car-jacking, fraud, environmental crimes, kidnapping for ransom, violent extremism, and terrorism.

Continuing the IGP said, “In this regard, the signing of the African Free Trade Agreement within the ECOWAS framework could present new sets of security threats in the West African Sub-Region for which we need to step up our collaborative efforts, devise new strategies and build enduring partnerships to contain.

“It is our expectation that this concern shall form part of our discourse during this 2019 INTERPOL Week.

Earlier, the IGP said it was the first time that the Nigeria Police will be dedicating an entire week towards drawing attention to the activities and strategic roles of INTERPOL in national, regional and global security.
“Secondly, the Week will enhance the professional knowledge of law enforcement officers as strings of lectures that are designed to give them insight into the capabilities and the opportunities that INTERPOL could offer in aid of the attainment of our security management mandates will be delivered.

“Thirdly, coming at this time when the nation, sub-region, and the international community are faced with complex, transnational, and technology-driven security threats, the Nigeria INTERPOL Week presents a unique opportunity for all strategic security actors and stakeholders within and beyond the country to interact, discuss, build veritable professional network and evolve workable strategies within the context of the INTERPOL’s mandate towards tackling the security threats in a coordinated and sustainable manner.

“Fourthly, in the course of the Week, we shall be laying the foundation stone for the construction of the Nigeria INTERPOL National Central Bureau Headquarters which is a landmark initiative.

In his address, Mr. Jorgen Stock, INTERPOL Secretary General who was represented by Mr. Kedji Mercellin-Abbey emphasized the need for the populations of member countries to view the Police as partners in crime fighting rather than an organization to be afraid of.

The INTERPOL Chief however noted that once the population develops and has trust in the Police of a country, intelligence will be easily supplied to the police for the benefit of the people.

Commending the actions of the Nigerian Police High Command in reorganizing the Abuja National Central Bureau to best practices status, Mr. Abbey said it will help the Police in fighting transnational organized crime and promote better international Police cooperation.

Mr. Abbey who is also the head of INTERPOL at the African regional office in Cote D’Ivoire said, “From my part, I will make sure that INTERPOL week we are celebrating now, is introduced by all the 16 INTERPOL National Central Bureaus’ in West Africa.

His words, “We all know how transnational threats such as terrorism, cross border trafficking (narcotics, human beings, firearms, vehicles and so on), or cyber crime are destabilizing factors in our countries.

“In this context, INTERPOL is well positioned to support the Federal Republic of Nigeria in its commendable efforts by providing police capacity to provide appropriate responses to the operational and strategic needs of its police services.

He listed the INTERPOL projects for which Nigeria is currently benefiting to include the WAPIS programme (The West Africa Police Information System), which addresses the security challenges facing West Africa countries by enabling effective collection of police information through a centralized national system and by providing opportunities for sharing information collected at the national, regional and international levels.

The E-Enact Project (For Criminal Analysis) and the GEMINI Project, which aims to strengthen the capacity of law enforcement and border security agencies by extending access to I-24/7 beyond national central bureaus to border security and immigration agencies as well as by modernizing the equipment of NCB.

Mr. Abbey added, “We have already connected many Nigerian Services and many others are on the list to be connected.

Minister of Police Affairs, Alhaji Mohammed Maigari Dingyadi disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari created the ministry of Police Affairs to give special attention to police issues, with a view to repositioning the police for better service delivery.

Noting that it is a very laudable development, coming at this critical time in the history of the country, he said, “The ministry under my direction will work with the IGP to ensure that necessary tools and equipment, needed by police is secured, to take policing to the next level.

“We will also work with other agencies and international partners to ensure that the Nigerian Police become a model in law enforcement in the region”, the minister said.