Inspector General of Police for Sierra Leone, William Fayia Sellu, has been appointed as the new Chair of the West African Police Chiefs Committee (WAPCCO). His appointment follows Sierra Leone’s recent elevation to the Chairmanship of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, assumed by President Julius Maada Bio on June 22, 2025.
WAPCCO, a key security organ under ECOWAS, unites police leaders from the regional bloc’s fifteen member states. The chairmanship of WAPCCO traditionally aligns with the country holding the ECOWAS presidency, reflecting the integrated nature of regional leadership and security coordination.
The official announcement was made during a celebration held on June 28, 2025, at the State Lodge in Freetown, commemorating President Bio’s new regional role. Addressing dignitaries from across political, security, and civil society sectors, President Bio confirmed that IGP Fayia Sellu would also assume the mantle of regional police leadership under WAPCCO.
WAPCCO serves as a platform to enhance police cooperation, promote cross-border crime-fighting efforts, and develop unified strategies against transnational threats such as terrorism, organized crime, and illicit trafficking. It also fosters intelligence-sharing and coordination among police forces, including Mauritania, a non-ECOWAS member that participates in regional security initiatives.
The Committee is supported by the West African Police Information System (WAPIS)—a regional database initiative backed by INTERPOL and funded by the European Union—which facilitates secure, real-time information sharing among member states.
Operating through specialized technical sub-committees and anchored by a permanent secretariat within ECOWAS’s Regional Security Division, WAPCCO plays a critical role in shaping regional security policy and practice. Under IGP Sellu’s leadership, the committee is expected to build on existing frameworks to strengthen collective responses to evolving security challenges and inform national and regional authorities on emerging crime trends.
This dual leadership—President Bio as ECOWAS Chair and IGP Sellu as WAPCCO Chair—cements Sierra Leone’s growing influence in West African diplomacy and security cooperation.
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