The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, has called for stronger intelligence sharing and coordinated security operations among North-West states to tackle insecurity in the region.
Disu made the call on Wednesday in Gusau, Zamfara State, while delivering the opening address at the North-West Security Summit.
The summit brought together governors, traditional rulers, security chiefs, experts, development partners, civil society representatives and other stakeholders to discuss banditry, kidnapping, arms proliferation, communal conflicts and farmer-herder tensions in the region.
The IGP said no single security agency, government or institution could effectively address the security challenges in the North-West alone.
He called for stronger inter-state cooperation, intelligence sharing, coordinated operations, improved border security, community engagement and effective early-warning mechanisms.
Disu also highlighted the role of traditional institutions and local communities in providing credible intelligence and supporting efforts to prevent crime.
The police chief cautioned against ethnic and religious profiling, saying criminality should not be associated with any particular ethnic or religious group.
He urged security stakeholders to focus on identifying and prosecuting criminal networks, their sponsors, arms suppliers, informants and other facilitators.
Disu reaffirmed the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to intelligence-led policing, technology-driven operations, rapid response and inter-agency collaboration.
He urged participants to ensure that the three-day summit produced practical and measurable resolutions capable of improving security and protecting vulnerable communities across the North-West.
IGP Disu calls for coordinated regional response to insecurity in North-West