Dare Babalola
The Inspector-General of Police, Olatuji Rilwan Disu, has reaffirmed the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to strengthening its partnership with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) in tackling human trafficking and organised crime across the country.
According to a statement signed on Wednesday by the Force Public Relations Officer, Anthony Placid, the assurance was given on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, when the NAPTIP Director-General, Binta Adamu Bello, led a delegation on a courtesy visit to the Force Headquarters in Abuja.
Speaking during the visit, Bello congratulated the IGP on his leadership and commended the Police for its continued support to the agency. She also sought deeper collaboration, particularly in the areas of technical assistance and joint operations, to enhance NAPTIP’s capacity to address its expanding responsibilities.
Responding, Disu reaffirmed the readiness of the Police to fully support NAPTIP’s mandate.
“The Nigeria Police Force will deploy its full operational and intelligence capabilities to strengthen the Agency’s mandate,” the IGP stated.
He stressed the need for intelligence-driven approaches in combating trafficking and organised crime, noting that the Force would intensify joint operations and real-time intelligence sharing.
“We are shifting toward intelligence-led strategies, including enhanced joint operations, deployment of liaison officers, and real-time intelligence sharing to effectively dismantle organised crime networks,” he added.
The IGP further pledged the support of specialised police units, including the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) and the NPF National Cybercrime Centre, alongside targeted training programmes for NAPTIP personnel.
“The technical support of the Intelligence Response Team and the NPF National Cybercrime Centre will be made available, alongside capacity-building initiatives and specialised training within Police institutions,” he said.
Disu also disclosed that regular strategic briefings would be institutionalised to monitor progress and sustain collaboration between both agencies.
“This strengthened partnership reflects a firm, zero-tolerance stance against human trafficking and related crimes, ensuring that perpetrators have no safe haven within Nigeria,” he noted.
The meeting was attended by key NAPTIP officials, including directors overseeing ICT, finance, investigations, legal services, and violence against persons, underscoring the agency’s commitment to deepening inter-agency cooperation.
