The Nigeria Police Force has highlighted its growing collaboration with INTERPOL as Nigeria joins countries worldwide in marking the United Nations International Day of Police Cooperation, observed annually on September 7, as reported by ChannelsTv. The 2026 observance, themed “Protecting against vulnerability, building trust and legitimacy in policing,” underscores the need for stronger cross border coordination as criminal networks increasingly operate across jurisdictions. The United Nations established the observance in 2022, with the first edition held in 2023.
According to the Nigeria Police Force, international cooperation has already supported the arrest and repatriation of fugitives linked to serious crimes. During the year under review, collaboration with the Ghana Police Service helped secure the arrest of Victor Benjamin Fejemirokum, who was wanted in connection with the abduction and murder of an FRSC officer and her daughter in Ogun State. In another case, international coordination led to the arrest in Lagos of Brazilian national Mark Sunny Okoh, who was wanted in connection with cocaine trafficking, with extradition proceedings subsequently initiated.
The Force said such partnerships are increasingly important as online fraud, human trafficking, drug trafficking, terrorism and organised crime cross national borders and require intelligence sharing between law enforcement agencies. Nigeria has also been intensifying its engagement with INTERPOL, with Inspector General of Police Olatunji Disu calling for stronger global police coordination and greater intelligence sharing during the United Nations Chiefs of Police Summit earlier this year.
For Nigeria, the significance extends beyond individual arrests to the development of a more connected law enforcement system capable of tracking suspects, sharing intelligence and responding to threats that move across borders. As criminal networks become increasingly sophisticated and digitally enabled, stronger cooperation with INTERPOL and regional police organisations could become an important pillar of Nigeria’s wider security strategy, while also strengthening public confidence through more effective cross border enforcement.
