ICPC, EFCC, Others To Access INTERPOL Database

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences (ICPC) and other law enforcement agencies in the country have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the International Police (Interpol), that would give them access the database of the organization.

Under the MoU, the law enforcement agencies will have unrestricted access to global criminal databases. 

The Interpol granted the this access in order to help them in profiling Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs) and other financial crimes suspects.

The fresh collaboration will boost the capacity of law enforcement agencies in Nigeria in order to fulfill their mandates. 

Other areas of agreement include strengthening of information sharing, utilisation of the organisation’s database of global suspects, and prevention of incursion and influx of migrant terrorist fighters into Nigeria.

According to a press release signed by Azuka Ogugua, the ICPC Spokesperson on Thursday, the Chairman of the ICPC, Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, SAN, made this known at the end of a meeting by the heads of Nigerian law enforcement agencies with top officials of Interpol in Lyon, France.
                 
The highpoint of the meeting was the signing of the MoU between the Interpol, ICPC, NFIU, NAPTIP, NDLEA and EFCC which granted the law enforcement agencies access to the organisation’s databases.

At the meeting, the ICPC boss discussed how the anti-corruption agencies and the country could take advantage of the Interpol database in profiling suspects.

“The Commission will develop the habit of issuing notices especially on high profile suspects. Such notices will be seen globally on PEPs in particular,” Prof. Owasanoye said.

The chairman also disclosed that the Commission would join the Global Focal Point Network coordinated by Interpol as part of measures to tighten the noose around corrupt and criminal persons.

The Nigerian delegation to Interpol was made up of top officials of the National Central Bureau Abuja (NCBA), Nigeria Police, Nigerian Navy and Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS).

Other are; Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Person (NAPTIP).

The Interpol briefed the Nigerian delegation on Operation Gemini, a special project focusing on trans-border organised crime involving migration, human trafficking, drug trafficking, corruption and financial crimes.

The international police also held special sessions with the delegation which were devoted to international and regional cooperation in law enforcement, operational methods of interpol and strategies for data and informational sharing.

Others include Interpol policing capabilities, role of National Central Bureau (NCB) in Nigeria, Nigeria Border Management strategies and integration of Nigeria law enforcement databases with Interpol NCB.