Nigeria and International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on data and information sharing on the platform of West African Police Information System (WAPIS) platform.
According to a statement from the ECOWAS Commission on Wednesday in Abuja Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (Retd), who signed for the Nigerian government at the ceremony in Abuja on Tuesday, said that the agreement and implementation of the project were long overdue.
Dambazau said that WAPIS would strengthen exchange of information and coordination among countries in West Africa and that it would also tackle emerging security threats in the region.
In his speech, the Secretary-General of INTERPOL, Mr. Jurgen Stock, said that it was a privilege to be at the signing of the MoU.
He said the event was a significant milestone and good step in stakeholders fight against crime in Nigeria and beyond.
According to Stock, WAPIS will bring information closer to the frontline, and the MoU is the right step in enhancing security in Nigeria and West Africa.
‘’Today, we have signed a new chapter in our WAPIS journey,’’ he added.
The Head of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) delegation, Gen. Francis Behanzin, said WAPIS was important to security of the region, through sharing of data between and among the nations.
He reaffirmed ECOWAS’ commitment to the success of the programme.
The Acting Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu, said that WAPIS was a complementary database established to collect information.
He said that it was a base for information on crimes like car theft, illegal migrants, fake identity cards and other acts of criminality in the region.
“It is a tool that is needed for every country to fight crime,’’ he said.
On his part, the Head of European Union (EU) delegation, Mr. Ketil Karlsen, commended the development and called for strict implementation of the programme.
In a related development, the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu, said personnel of the Nigerian Police Force had gained a lot from its collaboration with the INTERPOL.
Admau disclosed this when the Secretary-General of INTERPOL, Mr. Jurgen Stock, visited him on Tuesday in Abuja.
He said that the force would work with the international police to tap from its expertise.
Earlier, Stock had said that the presence of INTERPOL across the world posed a great challenge to criminals.
He said that his organisation would continue to contribute to security in the West African sub-region through an active relationship between Nigeria and INTERPOL.
The International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL) has 194 countries as members.
MM/GIK/APA