Central Africa: Mbarga Nguele voted Council of Police Chiefs boss.

This was at the opening of the 4th Ordinary Security Session of the Central African Police Chiefs Committee, CAPCCO. Mbarga Nguele also presided the event that was attended by several dignitaries. 

He took over from the Commander-in-Chief of the Forces of Gabon Police, Army Corps General Serge Herve Ngoma. 

After his election, Mbarga Nguele said he was thankful for the responsibility bestowed on him. He seized the occasion to re-echo the need for Sub-regional solidarity. 

Mbarga Nguele also expressed optimism that the meeting marks a new and significant step forward in strengthening collaboration among police forces in the Sub-region.

The DGNS boss insisted on the need to strengthen cooperation to eradicate cross-border crimes. 

Some of the officials who attended the meeting were: a representative of the Chairman of the Central African Economic and Monetary Community, CEMAC, police chiefs from member countries, as well as those from Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo. 

Mbarga Nguele said the meeting was to evaluate the implementation of the resolutions of the various technical meetings of experts organised earlier. 

The technical meetings held, prior to yesterday’s gathering. Focused then, was on criminal investigation, border policing, international police cooperation and the fight against drug trafficking, 

The fight against terrorism, human trafficking, trafficking of stolen cars, cybercrime, and capacity-building for law enforcement officers, the Delegate General said, defined resolutions. 

The police boss went further to mention that the gathering will equally assess the security situation in Central Africa. 

He announced the review of a guide to set up a regional strategy for fighting criminality and identifying the emergence of new forms of crime. The senior police official said this week’s gatherings were within the context of disruption in public order.

The DGNS boss also cited contemporary threats common to all countries but insisted on solidarity. This, he said, is needed to tackle Boko Haram threats, the expansion of cybercrime, persistence of illicit drugs and the illicit circulation of weapons.

Enter CEMAC Chairperson

The representative of the Chairperson of the CEMAC Commission, the Commissioner in Charge of the Department of Common Market, Mbogo Ngabo Seli, acknowledged the strategic role that CAPCCO plays in maintaining peace and security. 

Mbogo said the collaboration of police chiefs across the various countries has eased the identification, tracking and arrest of criminals.

The official stressed that enhanced cooperation will enable the population in the Sub-region to go about their activities hitch-free.

Positive balance sheet albeit challenges 

Speaking earlier, the outgoing President of the CAPCCO, Army Corps General Serge Herve Ngoma, presented a positive balance sheet of his tenure albeit challenges. 

Ngoma said a multitude of actions were adopted to reinforce the fight against criminality and other vices. 

Despite the pad on the back, Ngoma regretted that free movement of persons and goods remain problematic in CEMAC. 

He said the coming of the joint Brigade will guarantee the free and safety movement of people and goods in the Sub-region. 

The Commander-in-Chief of the Forces of Gabon Police admitted that the balance could have been better if they did not face certain financial constraints and pleaded for more assistance to carry out operations on the field.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post issue N0:3235 of Friday September 20, 2024