Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun, on Monday, declared open a three-day strategic training programme aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s capacity to investigate digital financial crimes and related organised criminal activities.

Mr Egbetokun, represented by the commissioner of police in charge of training and development in Abuja, Edwin Eloho, spoke at the programme’s  opening ceremony in Lagos.

He noted that the programme had come at a time when digital trading platforms, online forex markets, and cross-border financial transactions were increasingly being exploited for fraud, illicit financial flows, and organised criminal activities.

The IGP said advanced investigative capacity-building was essential to safeguard Nigeria’s financial system, protect investors, disrupt criminal financing networks, and reinforce national security.

Mr Egbetokun said that effective security governance in an interconnected financial system required structured cooperation between public institutions and responsible private sector actors.

He added that as financial and cyber-enabled crimes transcended national borders, such partnerships strengthen investigative capacity, enhance regulatory compliance, and support financial intelligence efforts.

“The training is designed to provide officers with a comprehensive understanding of the digital financial ecosystem, including trading and forex operations, legitimate market practices, emerging fraud typologies, and investigative red flags.

“The knowledge is crucial for distinguishing lawful investments from fraudulent schemes and improving investigative accuracy and professionalism.

“The programme brings together carefully selected officers from key formations of the Nigeria Police Force, including the cybercrime unit, anti-fraud section, INTERPOL National Central Bureau, and anti-money laundering units.

“The police special fraud unit and forensic and special investigation units are also included.

“Participation also includes officers from tactical and intelligence-focused units handling counter-terrorism financing, kidnapping, and ransom tracking,” Mr Egbetokun said.

According to him, financial crime is a major enabler of terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, arms trafficking, and transnational organised crime networks, which depend heavily on illicit financial flows.

He said that strengthening the capacity to investigate forex-related fraud, money laundering, Ponzi schemes, and other illicit activities was a direct investment in national security, crime prevention, and public safety.

Reaffirming the Nigeria Police Force’s commitment to policing reform, the IGP said modern officers must be technologically adept, financially literate, analytically sound, and strategically informed.

Mr Egbetokun thanked the Department of Training and Development, HF Markets, and facilitators, describing the programme as a step toward building a smarter, more responsive, and more resilient police force.

In his opening remarks, the managing director of HF Markets Nigeria Ltd., Ope Abiola, said the training was designed to help investigative officers navigate modern financial markets, including new instruments, digital platforms, and emerging fraud.

He added that the programme provided practical, evidence-based frameworks to distinguish legitimate activity from criminal deception.

A financial expert, Heritage Adisa, lauded the partnership between the Nigeria Police Force and private sector actors, emphasising its importance in tackling the growing sophistication of digital financial crimes.

(NAN)