IGP expresses concern that AfCFTA signing could present new sets of security threats 

IGP Adamu said this while giving his speech at the opening ceremony of the Nigeria Interpol Week which held on Monday, at the International Conference Centre in Abuja.

According to him, “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 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. It is our expectation that this concern shall form part of our discourse during this 2019 INTERPOL Week”.

While highlighting this threat, the Inspector General asked for the help of the International Police (Interpol) in curbing the proliferation of small arms and light weapons.

Also in his speech, the IGP noted that in the course of the week, the foundation stone for the construction of the Nigeria Interpol National Central Bureau Headquarters will be laid.

The event which was well attended by security agencies and other government officials was declared open by the minister of police affairs.

The IGP’s statement reads in part:

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.

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. Indeed, on a personal level, the uniqueness of the INTERPOL Week is accentuated by the presence of the Honourable Minister of Police Affairs, Alhaji Mohammed Maigarai Dingyadi as the event shall go down in history as his first official public engagement following his appointment.

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 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.