By NIGERIA’S Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, PhD, has called for urgent global collaboration to address the rising security challenges posed by cattle rustling and the growing threats of chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive (CBRNE) materials across Africa.
Delivering a paper at the 27th INTERPOL African Regional Conference in Cape Town, South Africa, the IGP highlighted the dangerous transformation of cattle rustling in West Africa from a rural menace into a sophisticated criminal enterprise that fuels terrorism, armed groups, and cross-border criminal networks.
He further warned of the link between cattle rustling and CBRNE threats, citing risks such as the spread of zoonotic diseases like anthrax and brucellosis, the exploitation of smuggling routes for trafficking radiological materials, and the funding of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) through proceeds from livestock theft.
Egbetokun outlined six strategic pillars to counter these threats: intelligence fusion, livestock market reforms, anti-money laundering frameworks, stronger border cooperation, community partnerships, and enhanced CBRNE preparedness. He urged the formation of a continent-wide and global alliance to protect Africa’s livestock trade, safeguard rural populations, and prevent extremist exploitation of regional vulnerabilities.
On the sidelines of the conference, the IGP held high-level meetings with INTERPOL President, Major General Dr Ahmed Naser Al-Raisi, and Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza. Discussions centred on improving border security, expanding access to policing databases, boosting real-time information exchange, and strengthening capacity against terrorism financing.
The IGP also met with a Brazilian delegation led by De Souza Rinaldo and Dos Reis Guedes Ferreira Alvares Andrea, with both parties pledging to deepen Nigeria–Brazil cooperation in intelligence sharing, combating organised crime, and building capacity for CBRNE threat mitigation.
Reaffirming Nigeria’s stance, Egbetokun stressed the country’s commitment to leading from the front, sharing best practices, and working closely with regional and international partners to ensure peace, security, and resilience in Africa and beyond.
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