A retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police, DIG Frank Mba, has warned that the increasing sophistication, technological capability and borderless nature of criminal activities in Nigeria require the country’s policing architecture to evolve faster to keep pace with emerging threats.
Mba, now a legal practitioner, security consultant and reputation management expert, said criminals were no longer relying solely on conventional methods, but were increasingly exploiting technology, globalisation and sophisticated financial systems to perpetrate crimes.
He made the statement while speaking on Nigeria’s security situation as the country marked its 66th Independence Anniversary.
According to him, crimes in Nigeria were previously dominated by conventional offences such as robbery, burglary and assault, which were largely physical and localised.
He, however, noted that criminality had evolved significantly in its pattern, approach, spread, methodology, intensity, lethality and sophistication, stressing that the transformation was partly a reflection of changes in society.
Mba said globalisation and technological advancement had also become major enablers for criminals, resulting in the emergence and expansion of kidnapping, terrorism, cultism, organised crime and cyber-enabled offences.
“Crime has become more organised, globalised, more technology-driven, financially sophisticated and, in many cases, virtual, contactless and borderless,” he said.
The former police chief consequently stressed that policing could no longer depend solely on physical operations and traditional investigative methods.
He said modern crime fighting required technology, intelligence, digital forensics, cyber tools, advanced financial investigation capabilities, citizens’ trust and stronger international cooperation.
Mba said the Nigeria Police Force had responded to the changing security environment in several significant ways, citing the activities of the National Cybercrime Centre in tackling cyber-enabled offences.
He also pointed to increased collaboration between the Nigeria Police Force and international organisations, including INTERPOL and AFRIPOL, particularly in intelligence sharing and advanced training in the investigation of terrorism, money laundering, human and narcotic trafficking and other transborder crimes.
According to him, training programmes for police personnel are also being modified to reflect emerging security realities, with greater emphasis now being placed on cybercrime investigation, digital forensics, financial crime, intelligence and counter-terrorism.
Mba said the developments showed that Nigeria’s policing architecture had evolved positively in significant ways.
He, however, said the critical question was whether the police were evolving quickly and adequately enough, considering that criminals were also constantly learning, adapting and exploiting new technology.
The criminals are not waiting for the police,” he said, stressing that the speed, spread, lethality, cyber capabilities and sophistication of criminal activities continued to pose serious challenges to the crime-fighting efforts of the Nigeria Police Force.
Mba identified inadequate training and a shortage of up-to-date digital forensic tools as major operational gaps that needed urgent attention.
He called for sustained investment in the Nigeria Police Force, particularly in personnel, specialised training, technology, intelligence capabilities and international partnerships.
The security consultant said the police must deliberately continue to evolve with changing technology and crime trends, with the objective of staying ahead of criminals rather than merely responding to emerging threats.
He also stressed the need for the Nigeria Police Force to rebuild and regain the trust of Nigerians, describing public confidence as an important component of effective policing.
Mba urged the leadership of the Force to adopt a futuristic approach to policing by preparing officers not only for crimes confronting the country today but also for emerging threats that could define Nigeria’s security environment in the future.
Ultimately, the NPF leadership should remain futuristic. Our police officers should be prepared, not just for the crimes they are fighting today, but for the crimes that will emerge tomorrow,” he said.
