FG seeks regional cooperation against small arms, IED threats

.Intelligence sharing, lifeblood of crime prevention in W’Africa, says IGP

The Federal Government has advocated regional efforts to counter the proliferation of small arms and Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) threats, which present a dire security challenge in the regions.

Meanwhile, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has described effective information sharing as the lifeblood of security agencies’ efforts to prevent, investigate and prosecute crimes.

The Director-General, National Centre for Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW), DIG Johnson Kokumo (rtd), made the call while declaring open ECOWAS Coordination Meeting of National Commissions on Small Arms with the theme ‘Countering Improvised Explosive Devices, Promoting Administration and Management of Small Arms and Light Weapons, and Regulating Craft Weapons Production in the ECOWAS Region’ in Abuja, yesterday.

According to him, Nigeria, as a member of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), is deeply committed to countering the threat posed by the illegal circulation of SALW within and around its borders and throughout the region.

He added that Nigeria had consistently demonstrated its resolve to counter the proliferation of SALW.

“The challenge of small arms proliferation and IED threats transcends our borders and, therefore, demands a robust and unified response. The FGN applauds ECOWAS for its relentless dedication to regional peace and security and is ever willing and ready to work with our brothers and sisters in the region,” he said.

Kokumo noted that the meeting provided a unique platform to further consolidate collective strategies, align goals and ensure that national actions contribute meaningfully to regional stability.
He tasked participants to utilise the forum to engage in open and solution-focused discussions.

The DG said, “Together, through concerted action and commitment, we can make our communities safer, our borders more secure and our region a beacon of peace and resilience.”

Egbetokun also noted that intelligence sharing enables security agencies to identify patterns and anticipate potential threats.

The IGP stated this in Abuja during the official opening of a three-day workshop on West African Police Information Systems (WAPIS), organised by the Ministry of Police Affairs, in collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), with the theme, ‘Inter-agency Collaboration on Information Sharing Among Law Enforcement Agencies in Nigeria’.

Represented by Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of the Force Intelligence Department (FID), Dasuki Galadanchi, the IGP said in today’s world, where criminals increasingly grow in sophistication and constantly network, the law enforcement agencies must match their level of advancement and innovation to stay ahead.

He also noted that as law enforcement professionals and stakeholders in the criminal justice sector, the security of communities relies heavily on the effective and timely exchange of critical information.

In his keynote at the occasion, the Minister of Police Affairs, Sen Ibrahim Gaidam, stressed the urgent need for all the law enforcement agencies to synergise on the future of the sub-regional security architecture with all the required speed and political will.

WAPIS, the minister said, is a technological tool that embodies commitment to regional integration and cooperation and enables police forces across West Africa to share intelligence and collaborate seamlessly.

In his goodwill message, the Chairman, Police Service Commission (PSC), HashimuArgungu, said WAPIS, if well implemented, would lead to crime detection and prevention in West Africa.

WAPIS is implemented by INTERPOL with funding from the European Union (EU).