The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, has intensified efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s response to emerging security threats through enhanced trilateral cooperation involving Nigeria, Italy and the United States, with emphasis on specialised training, intelligence-led operations, technology transfer and institutional development.
The initiative is part of efforts to leverage international expertise and advanced policing capabilities to tackle terrorism, kidnapping, arms trafficking, cybercrime and other security challenges confronting the country.
According to an official statement signed by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, the IGP’s working visit to Italy provided an opportunity to engage Italian law enforcement authorities on practical areas of cooperation to strengthen the operational capacity of the Nigeria Police Force.
A major outcome of the engagements was an offer to provide specialised training for up to 5,000 Nigerian police personnel, particularly in counter-insurgency operations and policing challenging rural and forested terrains.
The proposed training programme will cover tactical operations, intelligence-led patrols, critical infrastructure protection, digital and scientific forensics, cybercrime, explosives detection, financial investigations, asset tracing and anti-extortion techniques.
The initiative will extend beyond the Police Mobile Force (PMF) to include other specialised units, such as explosive ordnance disposal and forensic teams, to strengthen the Force’s capacity to respond to diverse security threats.
During the visit, IGP Disu held discussions with the Commander General of the Italian Carabinieri, Lieutenant-General Salvatore Luongo, on opportunities for technical assistance, specialised training and institutional cooperation.
The Nigerian delegation also visited the Carabinieri Centre of Excellence for Stability Police Units (CoESPU) in Vicenza, where it assessed training facilities and explored opportunities to adapt specialised policing programmes to Nigeria’s security requirements.
Among the proposals considered were command courses for 40 senior police officers, leadership training for 100 junior commanders and the deployment of a mobile assistance team to support Police Mobile Force training schools in Gwoza and Ila-Orangun.
The discussions further addressed the development of a national stability policing doctrine and standard operating procedures to promote operational consistency, professional standards and civilian protection, particularly in communities recovering from conflict.
Other areas of potential collaboration include canine operations, forensic science and mounted policing, including horse breeding and local capacity development to support public order management and other appropriate police duties.
To ensure the effective implementation of the proposed initiatives, IGP Disu proposed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) covering specialised training, technology transfer and operational doctrine.
He also invited an assessment team from the Italian Carabinieri to Abuja to identify priority areas and develop practical implementation arrangements in line with Nigeria’s security needs.
The Inspector-General reaffirmed the Nigeria Police Force’s commitment to strengthening international partnerships that enhance operational readiness, improve investigative capabilities and promote more effective protection of lives and property.
The proposed cooperation represents a further effort by the Force to deepen international security engagement and build institutional capacity to address evolving threats through modern policing methods, professional training and intelligence-driven operations.