The Nigeria Police Force has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening collaboration with INTERPOL and other international law enforcement agencies to combat transnational crime, track fugitives and enhance public safety.
The Force made this known on Monday as it joined police organisations around the world to mark the United Nations International Day of Police Cooperation, emphasising the growing need for cross-border collaboration in tackling modern criminal networks.
The Police said criminal activities such as cybercrime, human trafficking, drug trafficking and organised crime increasingly operate across national borders, making intelligence sharing and coordinated law enforcement action essential.
The Force said international police cooperation had continued to produce practical results for Nigeria, including the identification and location of victims, recovery of stolen property, tracking of fugitives and disruption of organised criminal networks.
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, said effective cooperation among law enforcement agencies was crucial to confronting emerging security threats.
“Effective information sharing, coordinated investigations, capacity building and cross-border operational support are essential to confronting emerging security threats and ensuring that criminals cannot exploit jurisdictional boundaries to evade justice,” Disu said.
The Force cited the arrest and repatriation of Victor Benjamin Fejemirokum, a murder fugitive wanted in connection with the abduction and killing of an FRSC officer and her daughter in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
According to the Police, Fejemirokum was traced to Ghana after investigators followed his movements through a viral social media video. He was subsequently arrested by the Ghana Police Service and repatriated to Nigeria.
The Police also highlighted the arrest of Mark Sunny Okoh, a Brazilian national wanted in connection with cocaine trafficking.
Okoh, who reportedly fled Brazil after jumping bail, was arrested in Okota, Lagos, following international coordination, while extradition proceedings to Brazil were subsequently initiated.
Disu said such cases demonstrated the importance of international partnerships in ensuring that criminals could not escape accountability simply by crossing national borders.
“International police cooperation is an essential component of modern policing,” the IGP said, stressing that the Nigeria Police Force would continue to strengthen partnerships that enhance intelligence-led policing and support investigations.
He added that collaboration with INTERPOL and other international law enforcement partners would remain a priority in efforts to protect communities and improve the collective capacity of security agencies.
The Force said the growing sophistication of transnational criminal networks required sustained cooperation, timely intelligence sharing and coordinated action among law enforcement agencies.
It reaffirmed its commitment to working with partners at home and abroad to protect lives and property, support victims, track fugitives and build safer communities.