The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Tunji Disu, has urged law enforcement leaders worldwide to ensure that technological innovation strengthens public trust, transparency and respect for human rights rather than undermining them.
Disu made the call on Wednesday while addressing the Fifth United Nations Chiefs of Police Summit (UNCOPS 2026) on Innovation and New Technologies in UN Policing at the UN Headquarters in New York.
He cautioned that while technology is transforming modern policing, it should never erode the confidence citizens place in law enforcement institutions.
“Technology can enhance policing, but it can never replace public trust. The legitimacy of every police institution rests on the confidence of the people it serves,” he said.
According to the IGP, public trust remains the defining pillar of every credible police institution, even as technology continues to reshape law enforcement operations.
“Together, through responsible innovation and visionary leadership, we can build policing institutions that are not only smarter but more trusted, more inclusive and better equipped to secure a peaceful world,” he added.
Disu noted that the Nigeria Police Force, which serves more than 230 million people, is undergoing rapid digital transformation, making innovation an operational necessity rather than an option.
He observed that criminal networks increasingly exploit artificial intelligence, encrypted communications and cyber-enabled fraud to carry out sophisticated cross-border crimes.
“This challenges traditional policing models and forces us to rethink how we protect vulnerable communities,” he said.
The police chief, however, stressed that the same technologies being exploited by criminals also offer significant opportunities for law enforcement agencies.
He said tools such as artificial intelligence, digital forensics and geospatial intelligence are improving threat detection, criminal investigations and intelligence gathering.
Disu emphasised that technological innovation must reinforce transparency, accountability and the protection of human rights.
“Innovation must strengthen transparency, accountability and respect for human rights. Technology should complement human judgment, not replace it.
“It must always remain anchored in the rule of law and the protection of human dignity,” he said.
He further argued that the future of UN policing depends on ensuring that technological advances are accessible to all countries, regardless of their level of development.
According to him, innovation should not remain the exclusive preserve of technologically advanced nations but should be supported through international cooperation, capacity building and equitable access to digital capabilities.
Disu reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to collaborative international policing efforts aimed at promoting global peace, security and the rule of law through the responsible application of technology.
The summit attracted 145 delegations, including ministers, inspectors-general of police, police chiefs and senior representatives of regional and professional policing organisations, making it the largest edition of the UN Chiefs of Police Summit to date.
Participants are discussing the future of UN policing, technological innovation and international cooperation in addressing transnational security challenges.
