The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has joined law enforcement organisations across the world to commemorate the United Nations International Day of Police Cooperation, highlighting the importance of international collaboration in tackling transnational crime and strengthening public safety.
The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday, noting that the observance underscores the growing need for police agencies to work across borders as criminal networks increasingly exploit international jurisdictions.
According to the statement, online fraudsters now target victims across different countries, while organised criminal groups move people, illicit goods and proceeds across borders. It therefore stressed the importance of sustained cooperation, timely intelligence sharing and coordinated law enforcement action.
The Police Force said international cooperation has continued to produce practical results for Nigeria, including the identification and location of victims, recovery of stolen property, tracking of fugitives, disruption of organised criminal networks and the fight against cyber-enabled crime.
It cited the arrest and repatriation of Victor Benjamin Fejemirokum, a murder suspect wanted over the abduction and murder of an officer of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and her daughter in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
Fejemirokum was traced to Ghana after his movements were identified through a viral social media video. He was subsequently arrested by the Ghana Police Service and repatriated to Nigeria to face justice.
The Force 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 law enforcement coordination, with extradition proceedings to Brazil subsequently initiated.
The NPF said such collaborations demonstrate the importance of cross-border policing in ensuring that fugitives cannot exploit jurisdictional boundaries to evade justice.
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, psc(+), NPM, reaffirmed the Force’s commitment to deepening cooperation with INTERPOL and other international law enforcement partners.
Disu stressed that effective information sharing, coordinated investigations, capacity building and cross-border operational support remain essential to addressing emerging security threats and strengthening the collective response to transnational crime.
The Nigeria Police Force said it would continue to strengthen partnerships with law enforcement agencies at home and abroad to advance intelligence-led policing, support investigations, protect victims and communities, and enhance public safety.
As the international community marks the United Nations International Day of Police Cooperation, the Force reaffirmed its commitment to collaborative policing aimed at ensuring that criminals have no safe haven simply because they cross international borders.
