By Ayodele Oni
The Inspector General of Police, (IGP), Dr. Kayode Egbetokun, has warned that cattle rustling is becoming a security threat in Africa.
While presenting a paper at the 27th INTERPOL African Regional Conference in Cape Town, South Africa, the IGP called for urgent and concerted international cooperation to address the escalating security challenges posed by cattle rustling and its dangerous convergence with terrorism financing, as well as the spread of chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive (CBRNE) threats across Africa.
Egbetokun raised concern over the transformation of cattle rustling in West Africa from a rural nuisance into a sophisticated criminal enterprise that fuels terrorism, armed groups, and cross-border criminal networks.
He further warned of the dangerous nexus between cattle rustling and CBRNE threats, including the spread of zoonotic diseases like anthrax and brucellosis, the exploitation of smuggling routes for trafficking radiological materials, and the use of proceeds from livestock theft to fund production of improvised explosive devices (IEDs), thereby worsening insecurity across conflict zones.
The IGP outlined six strategic pillars for response, including intelligence fusion, livestock market reforms, anti-money laundering frameworks, stronger border cooperation, community partnerships, and CBRNE preparedness.
He also called for a continent-wide and global alliance to secure Africa’s livestock trade, protect rural populations, and block extremist exploitation of regional vulnerabilities.
On the sidelines of the conference, the IGP met with INTERPOL President, Major General Dr. Ahmed Naser Al-Raisi, and Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza, where discussions centered on strengthening border security, expanding access to global policing databases, enhancing real-time information exchange, and improving institutional capacity against terrorism financing.
He also met with a Brazilian delegation led by De Souza Rinaldo and Dos Reis Guedes Ferreira Alvares Andrea, with both parties committing to deepen Nigeria–Brazil police cooperation through intelligence sharing, combating organized crime, and building capacity for CBRNE threat mitigation.
The Inspector-General of Police reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to leading from the front, sharing best practices, and working collaboratively with its regional and international partners to ensure peace, security, and resilience in Africa and beyond.
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