In line with modern day security and policing, the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) is set to employ the use of biometrics to enhance its criminal investigations. To this end, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Solomon E. Arase NPM, has entered into a robust partnership with the Association of Criminal Records Office, based in the United Kingdom (UK) who were on a visit to the country.
According to a statement signed by the Force PRO, CP Emmanuel Ojukwu, when fully operational, this synergy will among other things: review Nigeria Police Criminal Justice System, Develop Criminal Records Register, provide the Police with Electronic Criminal Records Gadgets, and modernize Police Information Technology needs. Presentations on the benefits of electronic finger print data base were made by Mr. David Mckinney and Mr. Graeme Wallace from ACRO. The visit also had in attendance members of the Nigeria Police Forum, from Metropolitan Police U.K, representatives from the Ministry of Police Affairs, Prisons, Economic and Financial Crime Commission and the Nigeria Immigration Service. IGP in his remarks maintained that the benefit of having forensic led investigation cannot be overemphasized, as this underpins the strategic importance of partnering with ACRO.
In a related development, the NPF has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the German Development Corporation (GIZ) on training and skill upgrade for men of the Force. IGP Solomon Arase signed on behalf of the Nigeria Police Force, while the country representative of GIZ, Dr. Thomas Kirsch signed on behalf of the German Corporation. The German Ambassador to Nigeria His Excellency, Ambassador Michael Zenner, who led the delegation to Force Headquarters promised continuous corporation of the German Government with the Nigeria Police Force.
The MoU amongst other things will advance the training and skill upgrade of Police personnel, support Police reforms, and border security. The IGP in his remark after signing the MOU, thanked the German team for supporting the Police, noting that the MoU is a fall out of President Muhammadu Buhari’s visit to Germany few weeks ago, to further strengthen the Police and other security services capability to decapitate insurgency and other criminal vices in the country. He also used the occasion to assure the German Development Corporation of Nigeria Police readiness to work with them to achieve a robust synergy with the people and government of Germany.
Meanwhile, the NPF is also collaborating Defence Intelligence with a view to enhancing security in the country. The Chief of Defence Intelligence, Air Vice Marshall Monday Riku Morgan, while paying courtesy visit to IGP in his office at Force Headquarters Abuja, promised to support Nigeria Police through an improved capacity building on intelligence gathering for Police officers with a view to enhancing National Security. He also expressed satisfaction in the leadership and management team of the Nigeria Police.
The IGP in his response congratulated the Chief of Defence Intelligence on his appointment. He made it known that quite a good number of Police Officers have benefited from the Intelligence course offered by the Military Intelligence School. He further urged the Defence Intelligence Chief to extend same opportunity to Junior Police Officers with a view to boosting the ties between the two agencies.