Directorate Of Peacekeeping and Registration Security, Dr. Dieng Abdourahmane and other participants during the opening ceremony of the West African Police Information System (WAPIS) Programme Briefing held at the Cyber Crime Center, Central Business District, Abuja.
The Honourable Minister of Police Affairs, Senator Ibrahim Gaidam, has confirmed that the Data Collection and Registration Centre (DACORE), which is the heart of the progress of the West African Police Information System (WAPIS), is now fully functional.
The Minister made the remarks, according to a statement signed by the Ministry’s Deputy Director, Press, Bolaji Kazeem, and made available to the National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP), during the opening ceremony of the West African Police Information System (WAPIS) Programme Briefing held at the Cyber Crime Center, Central Business District, Abuja.
Gaidam, whose speech was presented by the Director, Police Service Department, pointed out that DACORE serves as the epicenter of our data collection efforts, consolidating vital information that would empower law enforcement agencies to respond swiftly and effectively to emerging threats.
The Minister said that key agencies have fully embraced the WAPIS initiative, while others are gradually picking up. They are now equipped with WAPIS terminals, allowing them to access critical information and significantly enhance the collective efforts to combat crime and maintain security.
“Nigeria’s dedication to capacity building has been unwavering. We have organized more than six training sessions, some of which were expertly conducted by our national trainers. This investment in training ensures that our law enforcement personnel are not only proficient in using the WAPIS system but are also well-prepared to harness its full potential in safeguarding our nation,” he said.
He further announced that Nigeria has recently passed into law the National Data Protection Law 2023.
“This legislative milestone demonstrates our commitment to safeguarding sensitive information while actively participating in the WAPIS program,” Gaidam stressed.
In his response, the Head of Politics, Press and Information Section, European Union (ECOWAS/Nigeria), Zissimos Vergos congratulated INTERPOL and Law Enforcement agencies of the region for successfully managing the African Cup of Nations that received 3 million visitors and WAPIS was actively involved in proper security at the event. He appreciated the efforts of the Police Affairs Minister and the Permanent Secretary for uplifting the operation of WAPIS in Nigeria.
He said that data analytics and artificial intelligence are a new frontier of policy planning and regulation adding that major threats to stability are transnational crime, cyber security, misinformation on social media, hacking, drones, and artificial intelligence, and the need for WAPIS officers to advance on policy planning and regulations.
Vergos urged civil society representatives to champion the course of the programme, encouraging it to be accountable to the benefit of society.
Earlier, the representative of the ECOWAS, Head of Regional Security Division Directorate of Peacekeeping and Registration Security, Dr. Dieng Abdourahmane, pointed out that the major challenge in fighting transnational organized crime in West Africa, is the lack of appropriate infrastructure to collect, store, and manage, analyze and share criminal data amongst the law enforcement agencies at the national and regional levels.
He said, “Today, in Nigeria, the WAPIS programme has gained momentum and continues to receive the buy-in from the Federal Government. The data collection and registration centre has been established and operationalized, and law enforcement agencies have been trained and equipped with WAPIS workstations. We are hoping that a few more centres will be established across the country in the coming months.”
