Minister of Police Affairs, Senator Ibrahim Gaidam has said that erosion of safety in Nigeria requires robust response to strengthen internal security framework with the aid of advanced international policing tools.
Gaidam therefore noted that collaboration of security agencies would “serve as a vital platform to enhance the capacity of our law enforcement agencies in leveraging INTERPOL’s tools to foster peace and security across the nation.”
The minister spoke at the workshop on the International Criminal Police Organisation, INTERPOL with the theme: “Strengthening Internal Security: A Path to a Safer Nigeria.” organized by the Ministry of Police Affairs in conjunction with the Nigeria Police Force and National Central Bureau, NCB, Abuja.
He said: “The erosion of safety in Nigeria extends far beyond the direct consequences of crime; it calls for a robust response to strengthen our internal security framework with the aid of advanced international policing tools. As technology evolves, so too must our strategies to combat these threats.”
Gaidam said that he firmly believed that the insights and outcomes from the workshop would be critical in addressing the pervasive insecurity that currently afflicts the society.
“We must acknowledge that for decades, our nation has grappled with the chronic issue of criminal victimization, which has severely impacted the safety and well-being of our citizens. In recent years, we have faced an alarming rise in insurgency and terrorism, which have taken on increasingly complex international dimensions,” he stressed.
The minister pointed out that “INTERPOL is a prestigious organization with a membership spanning 196 countries, actively engaged in combating terrorism, organized crime, drug trafficking, human trafficking, and cybercrime, among other pressing issues.”
He added that the workshop was “convened with the intent of exploring and understanding INTERPOL’s resources, enabling us to effectively integrate these tools into our internal, regional, and global security efforts.”
Gaidam opined that adopting methodologies akin to those employed by INTERPOL, Nigeria could significantly mitigate internal security challenges in view of the myriad security threats facing the nation today, saying “it is imperative that we embrace international standards to safeguard lives, properties, and infrastructure, thereby fostering economic development and stability.”
In his goodwill message, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa represented by Major General Olatokunbo Bello noted that due to the rising security challenges in the country, the workshop would provide an opportunity for the participants to rob minds, share ideas and collaborate to improve INTERPOL’s activities that would help in the area of tackling the security issues in Nigeria.
The Chairman, Police Service Commission, DIG Hashimu Argungu, a retired Deputy Inspector General of Police, DIG, noted that security has taken a new dimension in the 21st century and the threats are no longer primarily coming from the conventional (traditional) factors of the usual narrative.
He added that the workshop is going to be of great assistance to the law enforcement agents in the area of intelligence gathering, investigation, and collection of electronic evidence of transnational organized crime and corruption.
Earlier, the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun represented by the Deputy Commissioner of Police DCP Patrick Daaor retreated that police wise powers over all crimes existentially require constant structured engagement and collaboration with other national law enforcement agencies, irrespective of their mandates.
According to him, one of the cornerstones of effective internal security is trust between the police and the communities.
“We must work tirelessly to foster transparency, accountability, and open communication. Community policing should not just be a concept but a lived reality, where citizens feel empowered to collaborate with law enforcement in maintaining peace and security,” he said.
