AYV News, July 8, 2025
Sierra Leone’s Inspector General of Police, William Fayia Sellu, has been appointed Chair of the West African Police Chiefs Committee (WAPCCO), the regional policing body under the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
His appointment comes on the heels of President Julius Maada Bio’s assumption of the ECOWAS Chairmanship on June 22, 2025, marking a dual leadership role for Sierra Leone at the political and security levels of the regional bloc.
WAPCCO brings together police chiefs from all 15 ECOWAS member states, along with Mauritania, to strengthen cross-border cooperation, combat organized crime, and share criminal intelligence. The chairmanship of WAPCCO traditionally aligns with the country holding the ECOWAS presidency.
During a national celebration at State Lodge on June 28, President Bio formally introduced IGP Sellu as the new head of WAPCCO, emphasising Sierra Leone’s growing role in shaping regional peace and security.
The committee plays a critical role in addressing shared threats such as terrorism, trafficking, and transnational crime. It is closely linked to the West African Police Information System (WAPIS), a data-sharing initiative supported by INTERPOL and funded by the European Union.
With a permanent secretariat under ECOWAS’s Regional Security Division, WAPCCO also operates through technical sub-committees that develop regional crime-fighting strategies and provide updates on security trends to national authorities.
IGP Sellu’s new role places him at the center of efforts to boost collaboration among West African police forces, improve intelligence-sharing, and build coordinated responses to evolving security challenges across the region.
