The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, on Monday in Abuja presided over the 11th Meeting of Heads of INTERPOL National Central Bureaus (NCBs) for West Africa, where he called for deeper regional cooperation to confront transnational crime networks operating across the sub-region. The meeting, held at Johnwood Hotel, Abuja,……
The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, on Monday in Abuja presided over the 11th Meeting of Heads of INTERPOL National Central Bureaus (NCBs) for West Africa, where he called for deeper regional cooperation to confront transnational crime networks operating across the sub-region.
The meeting, held at Johnwood Hotel, Abuja, brought together NCB heads from 16 West African countries, alongside senior officials of the INTERPOL General Secretariat and representatives of regional security organisations.
In his address, Disu painted a stark picture of the evolving security threats facing West Africa, noting that criminal networks involved in human trafficking, arms smuggling, drug trafficking, cyber fraud, money laundering, terrorist financing and violent extremism operate seamlessly across national borders.
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He stressed that no single country could effectively confront such threats alone, insisting that the success of the region’s security architecture depends on stronger and faster collaboration among member states.
The police chief outlined ongoing efforts by Nigeria to strengthen international policing cooperation, including the expansion of INTERPOL’s I-24/7 secure communication system to border posts and law enforcement agencies across the country, enabling real-time access to global criminal databases.
He also reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to Project GEMINI, which focuses on the systematic uploading and verification of INTERPOL’s Stolen and Lost Travel Documents database, as well as the West African Police Information System (WAPIS), which facilitates regional data sharing among security agencies.
This was contained in a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, Anthony Okon Placid, on Monday, June 8.
Looking ahead, Disu pledged Nigeria’s commitment to three key priorities: expanding universal access to INTERPOL databases across West African border security systems, strengthening mechanisms for rapid joint operations, and deepening trust among National Central Bureaus to enhance intelligence sharing.
“Without that trust, even the most sophisticated systems fall short,” he was quoted as saying.
Also speaking at the meeting, the head of the INTERPOL delegation commended Nigeria for hosting the gathering and highlighted the significance of full participation by all 16 member states, describing it as a demonstration of collective commitment to regional security.
The delegation urged participants to translate discussions into measurable commitments and shift from reactive policing to proactive strategies aimed at anticipating and disrupting criminal activities before they occur.
The meeting reaffirmed Nigeria’s central role in West African security cooperation and underscored growing emphasis on collective, intelligence-driven policing across the sub-region.
