Development of an Integrated Interagency Crime Management System (ICMS) for Nigeria

Abstract

Crime management in Nigeria requires a robust interagency collaborative approach to enhance efficiency in data
sharing and law enforcement operations. This study presents the development of a Computerized Interagency
Crime Management System (ICMS), a web-based application designed to improve crime management through
real-time data integration among security agencies. The system is built on a relational database architecture that
aligns with the existing schemas of law enforcement agencies, facilitating seamless data exchange.
ICMS accepts input through an Application Programming Interface (API), ensuring uniform data submission
across agencies. The data fields include crime code, offender’s details (name, nationality, state of origin, local
government, age), nature and location of crime, penal code section violated, case status, officer in charge, and
reporting agency. The system's development follows the Structured System Analysis and Design Methodology
(SSADM), ensuring a well-structured framework and implementation. Laravel, a PHP framework, was utilized
for system development, while PostgreSQL serves as the database management system, ensuring secure and
efficient data storage with unique reference numbers for records.
ICMS provides advanced search capabilities, enabling law enforcement agencies to retrieve crime-related data
efficiently. Additionally, it offers data analytics tools, including visual reports and crime trend analysis, to support
investigative research and decision-making. Future enhancements include the integration of two-factor
authentication (2FA) with encrypted one-time password (OTP) technology to improve system security.
The implementation of ICMS significantly enhances crime data management, fosters interagency collaboration,
and improves crime tracking and analysis in Nigeria.