Police IG says Nigeria will enjoy its best Christmas period ever

The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris has said the nation will enjoy its best Christmas period ever, giving the drop in crime rate.

Idris stated this at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, after returning from Indonesia, where he attended the 85th Annual Conference of International Police (Interpol).

He said: “From all indications, we are having the best Christmas period this year because the crime rate seems to be under control.”

On the outcome of the conference attended by 193 countries, Idris said they deliberated on enhanced collaboration to curb transnational organised crimes such as corruption, human and drug trafficking.

Comptroller-General of Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) Alhaji Mohammed Babandede, Director General, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Alhaji Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah, Commissioner of Police Interpol Subair Olusola and Interpol System Consultant Chikwe Udensi were part of Nigeria’s delegation to the conference.

According to Idris, the conference deliberated on the disturbing trend of cybercrime, corruption, drug-related offences, terrorism, foreign terrorist fighter (FTF) and exploring ways to check the funding of terrorism.

Idris said: “Chiefs of Police in West Africa had a crucial meeting and resolved to revive the West African Police Chiefs Committee (WAPCCO). Although the chairmanship of the committee is held by Liberia, they requested that Nigeria should host the next general meeting.

“We are going to see how we can finalise so that we can hold this meeting. This is a forum we believe can tackle these crimes, if we work together.

“Also, we had a strategic meeting with the high command of the Interpol and discussed the general applicability of i-24/7 in Nigeria. At the moment, the i-24/7, which is the tool used by National Centre Bureau (NCB) of the Interpol in connecting member countries is restricted to the police only.

“It is a data base for wanted persons, stolen vehicles, arms, artefacts and missing persons, among others. So, with the meeting, major law enforcement agencies like the NIS, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and facilities such as airports and seaports would be connected.”