The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, has called for stronger regional collaboration among West African countries to effectively combat the growing threat of transnational crime across the sub-region.
According to a statement issued on Monday by Force Public Relations Officer, Anthony Okon Placid, the IGP made the call while presiding over the 11th Meeting of Heads of INTERPOL National Central Bureaus (NCBs) for West Africa held at the Johnwood Hotel in Abuja.
The meeting brought together heads of NCBs from 16 West African countries, alongside senior officials from the INTERPOL General Secretariat and other regional security organizations, to discuss strategies for strengthening security cooperation across the region.
Addressing participants, Disu described the security challenges facing West Africa as increasingly complex and borderless, citing human trafficking, arms smuggling, drug trafficking, cybercrime, money laundering, terrorist financing, and violent extremism as major threats confronting member states.
He stressed that no single country could effectively tackle these challenges alone, noting that success would depend on the strength, speed, and quality of partnerships among all participating nations.
The IGP highlighted several measures already being implemented by Nigeria to strengthen international policing cooperation. These include expanding INTERPOL’s I-24/7 secure communications network to border control points and law enforcement institutions nationwide, enabling officers at various locations to access critical intelligence in real time.
He also reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to Project GEMINI, which focuses on the verification and uploading of records into INTERPOL’s Stolen and Lost Travel Documents database, while citing the West African Police Information System (WAPIS) as a successful example of regional data integration.
Looking ahead, Disu outlined three key priorities for Nigeria and the region: ensuring wider access to INTERPOL databases across border security architecture, establishing mechanisms for rapid joint operations, and deepening trust and transparency among National Central Bureaus to improve intelligence sharing.
The leader of the INTERPOL delegation commended Nigeria for hosting the meeting and described the attendance of all 16 NCB heads as a strong demonstration of collective commitment to regional security.
He urged participants to move beyond discussions and adopt measurable actions aimed at preventing and disrupting criminal activities before they occur.
The meeting, observers noted, further reinforces Nigeria’s strategic role in regional security cooperation and underscores the growing importance of collective action in addressing contemporary security challenges across West Africa.
