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El-Ameen Ibrahim
Nigeria has moved to strengthen its international policing architecture as Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, held high-level security talks with the Secretary General of the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL), Mr Valdecy Urquiza, in Lyon, France.
According to a statement signed by Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu,, Abuja, on Monday, said the meeting marked the IGP’s maiden official visit to the INTERPOL General Secretariat in Lyon since assuming office.
This he also said that it placed transnational crime and cross-border policing at the centre of Nigeria’s international security engagement.
Disu’s visit is expected to further strengthen the operational relationship between the Nigeria Police Force and INTERPOL, particularly in areas where criminal activities increasingly transcend national borders.
At the meeting with Urquiza and other senior officials of the organisation, the Nigerian delegation examined opportunities for closer cooperation in cybercrime, counter-terrorism, financial crime, organised crime and fugitive tracking.
The discussions also covered intelligence sharing and the expanded use of INTERPOL databases and policing tools to support investigations and enhance the capacity of law-enforcement agencies to respond to crimes with international dimensions.
Beyond information exchange, the engagement provided a platform for Nigeria and INTERPOL to review the country’s participation in INTERPOL-supported initiatives and identify additional areas of technical and operational cooperation.
Particular attention was given to strengthening criminal intelligence analysis, supporting cross-border investigations and improving efforts to disrupt transnational criminal networks.
The development comes against the backdrop of the increasingly international character of organised crime, with criminals able to exploit technology, financial systems and jurisdictional boundaries to operate beyond the reach of a single national law-enforcement agency.
For Nigeria, stronger access to international policing mechanisms is therefore central to efforts to trace fugitives, follow criminal intelligence across jurisdictions and support investigations involving suspects, financial transactions or criminal activities spanning different countries.
The IGP was accompanied on the visit by AIG Olaolu Adegbite, Head, INTERPOL Nigeria and National Central Bureau, Abuja; AIG Ezima Akaninyene Ifem, Director, Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre; AIG Akoh Benedict Gabriel, Head, Nigeria Police Counter Terrorism Unit; and CP Ojajuni Olubode, INTERPOL Africa Committee Member.
The composition of the delegation reflected the broad security priorities discussed during the engagement, particularly cybercrime, counter-terrorism, international policing cooperation and intelligence-led investigations.
The Nigeria Police Force said the engagement formed part of its continuing efforts to deepen cooperation with INTERPOL and other international law-enforcement partners.
The Force also reiterated its commitment to leveraging intelligence, technology and global policing capabilities to respond to evolving security threats and limit the ability of criminal networks to operate across national borders.
The Lyon engagement consequently places greater emphasis on international coordination as Nigeria strengthens its policing response to crimes that increasingly require cooperation beyond the boundaries of individual countries.
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