Nigeria throws weight behind Brazilian candidate for Interpol secretary

Minister of Police Affairs Ibrahim Gaidam has expressed Nigeria’s full support for Brazil’s Valdecy Urquiza’s candidate for the position of Interpol Secretary General and asked all the country’s partners and allies to join hands in support of him.

Gaidam spoke during the visit of the Interpol team led by its Vice President, Valdecy Urquiza, to the headquarters of the Ministry of Police Affairs in Abuja.

The Minister, according to a statement signed by the Deputy Director of Information and Public Relations, Bolaji Kazeem, pointed out that Urquiza’s candidature represents a new chapter in Interpol’s leadership, and believes that his experience and dedication make him a strong candidate for the position of Secretary General.

According to Gaidam: “We are committed to working closely with Brazil to ensure a fair and transparent election process that upholds the principles of democracy and accountability.

“I am confident that his leadership skills, expertise, and dedication to the cause of international security will make him an outstanding choice for this crucial role.

“Nigeria and Brazil share a history of collaboration and friendship that spans decades. Our two nations have worked together on various fronts, including economic development, cultural exchange, and most importantly, in the realm of law enforcement and security. Nigeria and Brazil have worked closely together on issues such as counterterrorism, transnational crime, and cybersecurity.

“One notable example of our partnership is our joint efforts to combat drug trafficking through intelligence sharing and coordinated operations,” he stated.

According to Gaidam, Interpol plays a crucial role in ensuring global peace and security by facilitating international police cooperation and coordination, adding that the organisation’s work in combating transnational crime, terrorism, and organised crime is essential for maintaining a safe and secure world for all nations.

He said: “We recognise the importance of a strong and effective Interpol leadership in addressing the complex security challenges of the 21st century and Nigeria has made significant contributions to Interpol, including producing the Interpol Vice President for Africa in the person of AIG Garba Baba Umar (retd). ”

The minister affirmed that Interpol, as the world’s largest international police organisation, can assist Nigerian law enforcement agencies to enhance their capacity to tackle transnational crime effectively through the exchange of critical intelligence, training, technical assistance and joint operations to target criminal networks operating across borders.

Earlier, the Vice President of Interpol requested the support of Nigeria for the position of General Secretary to enable him to effect a reform for the betterment of the member countries.

“This is the first time of having the possibility of Secretary General from a developing nation. A nation that can bring diversity and neutrality to the organisation. I am here to ask for support for my candidacy and if I succeed, we lead Interpol together.

“Our vision for the future of the organisation is the one that can better support member countries and we are going to prioritise the needs of the members rather than focusing on a few members,” Urquiza promised.

Nigeria throws weight behind Brazilian candidate for Interpol secretary