Abuja, June 15, 2024 – Nigeria has endorsed Zambia’s Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr. Mubita Nawa, as Africa’s candidate for the Secretary-General of INTERPOL. This marks a significant step in Africa’s quest for leadership in the global police body, with Mr. Nawa’s campaign gaining momentum.
During his visit to Nigeria, Mr. Nawa and his campaign team, led by Ambassador Lazarous Kapambwe, Special Envoy for the President of Zambia, met with key Nigerian officials. These included Ambassador Yusuf M. Tuggar, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Professor Mukhtar Abdulkadir, Special Advisor on Strategy and Innovation. The discussions focused on Mr. Nawa’s vision for INTERPOL and his extensive 29-year law enforcement career.
Mr. Nawa also held productive meetings with Mr. Garba Baba Umar, INTERPOL’s Vice President for Africa, and members of the INTERPOL National Central Bureau in Abuja. Nigerian officials praised Mr. Nawa’s experience and his proposals for addressing global policing challenges, particularly transnational organized crime, cybercrime, terrorism, and human trafficking.
This endorsement highlights Africa’s readiness to lead INTERPOL, providing unique solutions from the continent and other underrepresented regions. It also emphasizes the importance of inclusivity within the global police body, which has seen limited African representation in its 100-year history.
The campaign’s next stop is Windhoek, Namibia, as Mr. Nawa continues to consolidate support across Africa.
