Smart Policing: Nigeria Police Begins Criminal Database Training

By Oluwakemi Kindness

The Nigeria Police Force has begun training officers who will operate its new criminal database systems, a move aimed at shifting policing in Nigeria from reactive responses to intelligence-led crime fighting.

The systems will serve as a central memory for the justice process, recording arrests, cases, and convictions and will help track repeat offenders, identify crime patterns, and support stronger prosecutions.

The databases will also link Nigeria with global policing platforms like INTERPOL, making it harder for criminals to escape justice across borders.

Speaking at the launch in Abuja on Thursday, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun said the reform will end the era of scattered files and weak records that have undermined policing in the past.

“Our criminal database systems are not just electronic records. They are the memory of our justice system and the heartbeat of intelligence-led policing. Without data, there is no memory. Without memory, there is no justice. But with data, there is no hiding place for criminals,” he said.

He reminded trainees that their work as custodians of the system is critical to Nigeria’s justice system.

“You are not merely handling files; you are safeguarding the future,” the IGP told participants, urging them to work with integrity and precision.

The training is part of the wider Police Reform Agenda backed by the Federal Government and international partners.

According to the IGP, it will not only boost citizens’ trust in the Police but also honor fallen officers by preserving their efforts in digital records.

He thanked President Bola Tinubu, the Police Service Commission, the Ministry of Interior, and other partners for supporting the reforms.