POLICE VOW STRONGER INTERPOL PARTNERSHIP IN FIGHT AGAINST TRANSNATIONAL CRIME

The Nigeria Police Force has reaffirmed its commitment to deepening cooperation with the International Criminal Police Organisation, INTERPOL, and other international law enforcement agencies in the fight against transnational crime. The Force said stronger cross-border collaboration was necessary to prevent criminals from exploiting international boundaries to evade arrest and prosecution.

In a statement issued by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, to mark the United Nations International Day of Police Cooperation, the police stressed the importance of timely intelligence sharing and coordinated operations between law enforcement agencies. It noted that modern criminal networks increasingly operate across several jurisdictions, with online fraudsters targeting victims in different countries and organised groups involved in trafficking people, illicit goods and criminal proceeds across borders.

The Force said international cooperation has already produced tangible results for Nigeria, including the tracking of fugitives, recovery of stolen property, identification and rescue of victims and investigations into cyber-enabled offences. It cited the arrest of Victor Benjamin Fejemirokum, a murder suspect wanted over the alleged abduction and killing of an FRSC officer and her daughter in Abeokuta, Ogun State, as one of the cases in which international coordination played a role.

The police also pointed to recent cooperation involving INTERPOL and Nigeria in tackling cross-border criminal networks. In one operation, NCB-INTERPOL operatives in Lagos rescued two Colombian women who were allegedly lured into Nigeria and held captive by a human trafficking syndicate after intelligence was received from INTERPOL-NCB in Bogotá. The suspects reportedly fled when police moved in, while efforts to locate and arrest members of the syndicate continued.

Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Rilwan Disu said international police cooperation had become an essential part of modern policing and pledged to further strengthen partnerships that support intelligence-led investigations and community protection. The Force said it would continue working with domestic and international partners to disrupt organised crime, protect victims and make it increasingly difficult for criminals to use national borders as a shield from justice.