The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has joined police organisations worldwide to mark the United Nations International Day of Police Cooperation, stressing the importance of cross-border collaboration in tackling transnational crime, protecting vulnerable people and enhancing public safety.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Force Headquarters, CSP Ani Iniedu, said this in a statement issued in Abuja on Monday.
Iniedu noted that modern criminal networks increasingly operate across national borders, with online fraudsters targeting victims in different jurisdictions and organised crime groups trafficking people, illicit goods and criminal proceeds across countries.
According to the statement, international cooperation during the year under review contributed to the arrest of Victor Benjamin Fejemirokum, a murder fugitive wanted over the abduction and killing of an FRSC officer and her daughter in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
Fejemirokum was traced to Ghana through efforts to track his movements after a video of him went viral on social media. He was subsequently arrested by the Ghana Police Service and repatriated to Nigeria.
The cooperation also led to the arrest of Mark Sunny Okoh, a Brazilian national wanted in connection with cocaine trafficking after he fled Brazil following a bail violation.
Okoh was arrested in Okota, Lagos, following international coordination, while extradition proceedings to Brazil were later initiated.
The NPF said such cooperation strengthens the capacity of law enforcement agencies to pursue fugitives across jurisdictions and ensures that victims and affected communities are not denied justice because of international borders.
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, reaffirmed the NPF’s commitment to deepening cooperation with INTERPOL and other international law enforcement partners.
Disu said effective information sharing, coordinated investigations, capacity building and cross-border operational support were essential to addressing emerging security threats and preventing criminals from exploiting jurisdictional boundaries to evade justice.
The police said international cooperation remains an essential component of modern policing and pledged to strengthen partnerships that support intelligence-led policing, investigations, community protection and the collective capacity of law enforcement agencies to combat transnational crime.
The NPF also reaffirmed its commitment to working with partners in Nigeria and abroad to protect lives and property, support victims and build safer communities.
