The Chairman of the Police Service Commission, DIG Hashimu Argungu (rtd), has reaffirmed the Commission’s unwavering support for initiatives that prioritise the capacity building for police officers.
DIG Argungu spoke at an ongoing three-day workshop on International Police (Interpol) organised by the Ministry of Police Affairs in conjunction with the Nigeria Police Force and National Central Bureau (NBC) Abuja.
He spoke on a paper entitled: “Strengthening Internal Security: A Path to Safer Nigeria.”
DIG Argungu said the workshop would 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.
He noted that security has taken a new dimension in this 21st century as the challenges and threats are no longer primarily coming from the conventional (traditional) factors of the usual narrative of unemployment, poverty and out-of-school children, among others.
The PSC Chairman pointed out that the key challenges and threats Nigeria is undergoing include the social media.
He enjoined all to bear it in mind that the present way of information and intelligence gathering “is already obsolete and ineffective in today’s digital world. The old regulations appear to be uncertain, and also, it is becoming harder for the regulations to keep up with technology.”
DIG Argungu said it is a known fact that in the modern time, international terrorists take the whole world as their field of operations, whereas “police and law enforcement systems belong to particular nations. Thus, they are confined within the borders of their respective countries.”
He noted that transnational offenders often exploit the legal tradition of sovereignty of nations, and as a result, national boundaries frequently provide them with an effective means for avoidance of the law or for escape.
He explained that InterPol as an international institution embodies the idea of multinational police cooperation against transnational criminal offences such as money laundering, drugs, illicit trafficking in arms, stolen arts, bank and other forms of financial fraud, white slavery; murder, robbery and counterfeiting.”
The PSC Chairman said the National Police via InterPol serve as an alternative remedy to real and potential security challenges and threats.
While affirming PSC’s support for the initiatives, Argungu remarked: “We are confident that the outcomes of this workshop will translate into actionable policies, strenghtened inter-agency synergy and a renewed public trust in our security institutions.”
He concluded: “As we embark on these deliberations, let us unite under a common vision: a Nigeria where every citizen thrives in safety and dignity. Together, we can turn this vision into reality.”
