The new Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 12 , Bauchi , AIG Tunde Ogunsakin, has advocated for proper enforcement of the enabling laws as a panacea to checkmate organized crimes and corruption in Nigeria.
The Police Boss disclosed this during the 33rd International Symposium on Economic Crime, held recently at Jesus College, University of Cambridge in United Kingdom
AIG Ogunsakin who delivered a paper titled “Compliance versus Organised Crime and Terror,” affirmed that the act of terrorism was strange in Nigeria and Africa at large but in recent time it has become a common phenomenon.
According to him, “In Nigeria, the act of terrorism has become rampant and has taken a major toll in Nigeria. The kind of communal living in Nigeria frowned against terrorism but suddenly from the operations of organized crimes from oil bunkering to money laundering and terrorism “ .
The police boss added that “ This cannot be totally divulged from the impact of globalization that has taken a centre stage in interstate relationship globally”.
He said that this menace has in no small measure greatly affected the development and growth in the country especially in the volatile zones in the Northern states.
“The effect and impact of organized crimes in Nigeria is enormous. It affects the development of the country and discourages investment, particularly in the area of insecurity, Organized Crimes had eroded the people’s conscience “ . the police boss said
However, the Police Chief noted that terrorism constitutes a total infringement and intentional deprivation of the citizens’ right to life as enshrined in Section 33 (1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.
“They wreck severe havoc on both human and material resources. The courts must be able to fast track trials to deliver judgments early enough in order to act as deterrent to others. There are trials that have been on for over two years that till date there is no judgment, yet matters of this sort are not supposed to be allowed to linger for too long before judgement is delivered”, AIG Ogunsakin said.
He revealed that the approach of The Nigeria Police in tackling the challenges of organized crimes and terrorism has shifted the emphasis from reactive policing strategies to intelligence-led policing strategy.
AIG Ogunsakin added that “ the approach has enhanced our investigative and prosecutorial competence, sharpen our operational competence to fashion a professional synergy with other components of the Joint Task Force and to explore the best international practices towards management of internal security challenges of the nature posed by organized crime and terrorism.
“Our conviction is that it is only when these initiatives are fully optimized that the professional ability of The Nigeria Police to attain its counter terrorism mandate within the rule and within international best practices can be guaranteed” Ogunsakin said.
He therefore seek for greater cooperation for The Nigeria Police in terms of skill acquisition, training and technicalities, when he said “For us to achieve this goal in the most professional manner, operatives must constantly be exposed to the highest available level of training to grapple with the dynamics of the intelligence world” .
He continued that “ This is expedient because intelligence gathering is an intellectually-demanding and technology-driven venture which demands constant training and re-training”
The event which was chaired by Mr. Robert Rhodes QC, Outer Temple Chambers, Recorder of the Crown Court of England and Wales, and Master of the Bench of the Inner Temple, UK, had Nigeria delegates in attendance which includes Supreme Court Justices, Hon. Justice Olu Ariwoola, Hon. Justice Nwali Sylvester Ngwuta, and Justice Hammed of Federal High Court, Ibadan.
