Police, ECAPI Organise 3rd CIA Training in Lagos to Boost Crime Prevention
To strengthen proactive crime-fighting efforts in Lagos and across Nigeria, the Nigeria Police Force has trained dozens of volunteers from the Eagle Crime and Prevention Initiative (ECAPI) on community-based intelligence gathering.
The three-day programme, now in its third edition and tagged Community Intelligence Agents (CIA) Training, is currently ongoing from November 20 to 22, 2025.
ECAPI Founder and President, Ambassador (Mayor) Eniola Adam Samuel, said the initiative has recorded significant impact and will be expanded to the South-East in its next phase. He commended the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, for endorsing ECAPI’s contributions to intelligence gathering and emphasised the vital role of grassroots participation in national security.
“This programme demonstrates the partnership between the Force Intelligence Department and ECAPI to strengthen grassroots intelligence and community policing,” he said. “It equips both police personnel and civilians to collect, analyse and relay actionable intelligence that improves crime prevention and response. It’s cheaper and more effective to prevent crime than to fight it.”
He described the initiative as a shift toward intelligence-led, community-driven security, urging citizens to view themselves as active partners rather than passive beneficiaries of protection.
Representing the IGP, ACP Jaiyeoba Idowu told participants: “From today, you are not just community members—you are agents of peace and order. ECAPI agents should consider themselves partners of law enforcement and be ready to assist anywhere.”
He noted that the training is designed to enhance the capabilities of the Force Intelligence Department by equipping Special Private Detectives with skills to generate actionable intelligence in support of national security efforts. Graduates of the programme are expected to provide critical insights that complement police operations.
National Training Coordinator, Ambassador Detective Reagan Onuoha Chinonso, described the programme as a remarkable national intervention responding directly to Nigeria’s evolving security challenges.
He explained that participants will be formally recognised as Community Intelligence Agents (CIA) and will serve as a vital link between the public and security agencies, delivering real-time intelligence to help law enforcement stay ahead of criminal activity.
Participants who spoke commended the police and ECAPI for the initiative, adding that the programme has been a great eye opener in community intelligence gathering and roles of members of society.
Training covers areas including the roles of community intelligence officers, risk-management procedures, handling confidential information and building trust with informants.
