The INTERPOL Regional Specialist, Madam Baraka Dankassoua, paid a courtesy visit to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr William Fayia Sellu, ahead of a three-day training programme on Human Trafficking and the Smuggling of Migrants.
During the meeting, discussions focused on strengthening cooperation between INTERPOL and the Sierra Leone Police through enhanced intelligence sharing, capacity building, and coordinated law enforcement efforts to combat transnational organised crime. Both parties reaffirmed their commitment to improving border security, protecting victims, and strengthening regional collaboration to address human trafficking and the smuggling of migrants across West Africa.
Addressing participants at the opening of the training, Madam Dankassoua highlighted the growing threat posed by human trafficking in Sierra Leone and the wider West African sub-region. She stressed that the crime continues to affect vulnerable communities and requires a coordinated response from law enforcement agencies. She explained that the three-day training programme is designed to equip investigators with practical skills, investigative techniques, and effective strategies to identify, investigate, and dismantle human trafficking networks, while also enhancing regional cooperation.
Representing the Inspector General of Police at the opening session of the training programme, the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Mr Andrew Mustapha Kamara, welcomed Madam Dankassoua to Sierra Leone and expressed appreciation for her commitment to strengthening the capacity of the Sierra Leone Police.
He conveyed the IGP’s gratitude and reaffirmed that human capacity development remains a key priority of the Sierra Leone Police. He emphasised that effective policing depends on knowledge, professionalism, and continuous training, noting that officers can only perform confidently when equipped with the necessary skills.
