The challenge of combating crime on the internet has been brought to the front burner by Interpol Chiefs at a four-day meeting in Dubai, the United Arab Emirate (UAE).
The meeting which is the 87th INTERPOL General Assembly with theme, “Policing in the information age,” will address how technology will change future threats, and how it can be used by law enforcement agencies to meet these challenges.
Nigeria’s representative at the conference, Sir Chikwe Udensi, pledged to work relentlessly with all security chiefs to ensure that the country’s security architecture remains formidable to combat the prevailing security challenges in the country.
Sir Udensi who is head of INTERPOL Systems in Nigeria, said his office is currently implementing the country’s expansion of what he described as the foremost crime fighting tool in the world called the INTERPOL 1/247.
He disclosed that with the successful installation of this security gadget in the Nigerian Police Force headquarters, Abuja, the world class crime fighting tool will equally be extended to other security agencies like Immigration, Defense Intelligence, EFCC, Customs, NIA, NSCDC, and VIO.
Udensi said that one of the key issues tabled for discussion at this year’ conference is the increased uses of artificial intelligence and robotics, as well as innovation in the field of forensics.
According to him, with more than 55 per cent of the world’s population having Internet access, “criminals are increasingly going after data as a means to make money, as shown by recent ransom ware attacks.”
According to an aide of the media chief, Sir Udensi, who is the foremost INTERPOL consultant in the country, came first in a competition by representatives of 199 member countries who participated in the recent INTERPOL Exhibition held in Singapore.
It will be recalled that few weeks ago the INTERPOL expert bagged an award as the ‘Best Security Expert in Nigeria.’
The UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, attended the opening ceremony of the global law enforcement event.
The conference is being attended by nearly 1,000 official representatives from 173 countries, including 85 police chiefs and nearly 40 ministers.
All security chiefs in Nigeria, including the IGP Ibrahim Kpotum Idris, Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (retd), Muhammad Babandede, Comptroller General Immigration, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Col. Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah (retd), Acting Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, are also attending the event.
The INTERPOL General Assembly which is composed of delegates appointed by the governments of member countries focuses on innovation in policing.
As the INTERPOL’s supreme governing body, the assembly meets once a year, and takes all major decisions affecting general policing, the resources needed for international cooperation, working methods, finances and programmes of activities.