The Data Collection and Registration Centre, DACORE, set up by the federal government as the epicentre for data collection to consolidate vital information that would empower law enforcement agencies to respond swiftly and effectively to emerging threats, is now fully functional.
Minister of Police Affairs, Senator Ibrahim Gaidam, who dropped the hint during an opening ceremony at the West African Police Information System, WAPIS programme, in Abuja, said DACORE is the heart of the progress in the system.
Speaking through the Director of the Police Service Department, the Minister said key agencies of the government have fully embraced the WAPIS initiative, while others are gradually picking up.
“The agencies 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,” Gaidam stressed.
Responding to concerns regarding data protection and privacy, he announced that Nigeria has recently passed into law the National Data Protection Law 2023.
He said: “This legislative milestone demonstrates our commitment to safeguarding sensitive information while actively participating in the WAPIS programme.”
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 three million visitors and WAPIS was actively involved in proper security at the event.
Vergos appreciated the efforts of the minister and the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Nasir Sani-Gwarzo for uplifting the operation of WAPIS in Nigeria.
He said 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 the Regional Security Division, Directorate of Peacekeeping and Registration Security, Dr Dieng Abdourahmane, said 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.”
