INTERPOL Meets with IGP William Fayia Sellu
A team of INTERPOL officials, led by Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Jenifer Cawan, Head of the International Policing Organization in Sierra Leone, paid a courtesy visit to Inspector General of Police (IGP) William Fayia Sellu on Wednesday, July 10, 2024, at his George Street office in Freetown. The team included Mohamed Moussa, Operations SCREEN Coordinator, and Abalo Assih, Criminal Intelligence Officer from the Counter-Terrorism Directorate.
The delegation’s visit to Sierra Leone aimed to engage stakeholders in preparation for the upcoming SCREEN Operations scheduled for October and November 2024. Moussa briefed IGP Sellu on the mission, which includes conducting a pre-assessment of the planned operations and providing necessary training. He explained that SCREEN Operations involve systematic monitoring of individuals and their travel documents at entry and exit points of seaports, airports, and land borders by consulting INTERPOL databases and other national or regional databases.
Abalo Assih further elaborated on the objective of SCREEN Operations, stating that the initiative aims to strengthen checks on crew members, cargo, and passengers on merchant ships and small craft operating in the Gulf of Guinea. He emphasized that the goal is to increase the use of INTERPOL databases by member states to better monitor the movement of terrorists and identify, locate, arrest, and prosecute suspected terrorists involved in terrorism and other organized criminal activities across West African borders.
Assih added that Operations SCREEN West Africa seeks to achieve three key outcomes: facilitating transnational investigations based on information provided by participating countries, publishing relevant INTERPOL notices, and increasing the use of INTERPOL databases while facilitating information exchange using I-24/7.
IGP Sellu welcomed the delegation and expressed his gratitude for their support, noting the various challenges faced by West Africa highlighted by the team. He acknowledged the positive impact of the training packages provided by INTERPOL since the launch of the West Africa Police Information System (WAPIS) and Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS), which have significantly enhanced policing operations. The IGP expressed optimism about the successful conduct of the SCREEN Operations and pledged to follow up on its outcomes. He reiterated his commitment to collaborating closely with INTERPOL and other law enforcement agencies to address the numerous movements of drugs and light arms in the sub-region.
In conclusion, IGP Sellu applauded CSP Cawan and her team for their collaborative partnership and lauded INTERPOL’s capacity-building initiatives for police personnel, which have greatly benefited the region’s law enforcement efforts.
