West Africa Must Unite Against Borderless Crime, IGP Disu Tells INTERPOL Chiefs
As criminal networks become increasingly sophisticated and transnational, security experts say no single country can effectively tackle threats such as terrorism, cybercrime, human trafficking and arms smuggling alone.
It is against this backdrop that Nigeria has called for stronger regional cooperation to confront emerging security challenges across West Africa.
The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, on Monday hosted the 11th Meeting of Heads of INTERPOL National Central Bureaus (NCBs) for West Africa in Abuja, urging member states to build a united front against transnational crime.
The high-level gathering brought together NCB heads from all 16 West African countries, alongside senior officials from INTERPOL and regional security organisations.
Addressing participants, IGP Disu warned that criminal syndicates involved in human trafficking, arms dealing, drug trafficking, cyber fraud, money laundering, terrorism financing and violent extremism operate across borders, making regional collaboration indispensable.
He highlighted Nigeria’s efforts to strengthen intelligence-sharing through the expansion of INTERPOL’s I-24/7 secure communications network to border posts and law enforcement agencies nationwide, enabling real-time access to critical security information.
The police chief also reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to Project GEMINI, which focuses on the verification and uploading of INTERPOL’s Stolen and Lost Travel Documents database, while citing the West African Police Information System (WAPIS) as a successful model of regional data integration.
Looking ahead, Disu pledged Nigeria’s support for wider access to INTERPOL databases across West African borders, faster joint operational responses, and greater trust among member countries to enhance intelligence-sharing and coordinated action.
Representatives of INTERPOL commended Nigeria for hosting the meeting and described the attendance of all 16 NCB heads as a strong demonstration of the region’s collective commitment to tackling organised crime and strengthening security cooperation.
The meeting reinforced Nigeria’s strategic role in regional security coordination and underscored the growing importance of cross-border partnerships in combating modern criminal threats.
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