Protocol
As the Inspector General of Police of Nigeria and Chairman of the West Africa Committee of Chiefs of Police (WAPCCO). I bring greetings from my country, Nigeria and from our region. I’m honored to be here today to represent WAPCCO at this prestigious conference of Eastern Africa Police Cooperation Organisation (EAPCCO)
Firstly, I will like to express my gratitude to the leadership of EAPCCO for inviting me to share our region’s experiences and best practices in combating terrorism and transnational organized crime.
Our region has faced similar challenges, and we’ve learned valuable lessons in collaboration, intelligence sharing, and community engagement.
Regional Collaboration is crucial in addressing our common security threats.
The team of this conference “Leveraging regional policing capabilities to promote law enforcement cooperation in the fight against terrorism and transnational organized crimes” resonates deeply with our own experiences.
I will highlight 3 key areas where
We have made significant progress in our region.
Enhanced intelligence sharing: We’ve established a robust Intelligence sharing mechanism which enables a member state to share critical information and assess information shared by other member states. This has enhanced coordination of efforts in combating terrorism and organized crimes. This robust mechanism is known as the West African Police Information System (WAPIS). It utilises data analytics to collate, analyze and share crime data across the West African states and globally through INTERPOL’s I-24/7
Capacity building:
We are investing heavily on training and Capacity building programs to equip our officers with the necessary skills and knowledge to combat emerging threats.
Community engagement: We recognize the importance of community engagement in preventing radicalisation and promoting social cohesion. Our community outreach programs are yielding positive results, fostering trust and cooperation between law enforcement and the public.
As we move forward, I propose that we explore more opportunities for collaboration and knowledge sharing between our two regions. By pooling resources, expertise and experiences we can develop more effective strategies to address our common security challenges.
In conclusion, I reiterate my commitment to strengthening regional cooperation and collaboration in the fight against terrorism and transnational organized crimes.
As I look forward to formalizing cooperation between our two regions, I congratulate the leadership of EAPCCO for organising this important conference. I also congratulate all the participating Chiefs of Police who are in attendance. I trust that the outcome of this meeting will shape the future of law enforcement cooperation in Africa.
Thank you