Federal government said it is ready to launch the National Cybercrime Centre to curb the increasing wave of cyber-related crimes in Nigeria.
The inspector-general of police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba, disclosed this at the first consultative forum on the National Legal Framework on Cybercrime held in Abuja, yesterday.
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The IGP said the cybersecurity centre which would be supervised by the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) would among others synergise with both national and international security communities for robust legislation, and strategies to protect Nigeria’s cyberspace.
In a remark, national security adviser (NSA), Retired Major General Babagana Monguno said Nigeria’s cyberspace is currently threatened by money laundering, child pornography, and fishing among other cyber-related crimes.
Monguno said to reverse the growing trends of cybercrimes and to properly harness the benefits from the cyberspace there is a need for collaborative efforts by agencies to cope with the threats.
On his part, the chairman of the African Union Cybersecurity Group of experts, Abdul-Hakeem Ajijola, also stressed the need to improve legislation along with the cyber security architecture in the country.
Ajijola said, “I urge Nigeria to ratify and accede to the Malabo convention as Africa has started moving forward on it without us.”
Similarly, the minister of communication and digital economy, Prof. Ali Isa Pantami, called for collaborative efforts by ministries and agencies of government to tackle the menace of cybercrime.
The digital and communication minister also stressed the need for an improved legislative framework that will combat the complexity of the crimes.
Pantami said, “Let us remember the profound importance of our collective efforts. Cybercrime knows no borders, and its impact transcends individual nations. We must work together as stakeholders from various sectors – government, law enforcement agencies, industry, civil society, and academia – to address the multifaceted challenges,” he said.
The director-general of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi stressed the need for an improved legal framework to combat rising threats to Nigeria’s cyberspace.
He said, ” A cybercrime legislative framework is one of those critical areas that needs to be addressed in order to promote a healthy digital economy. “
Earlier, the solicitor-general of the federation, Beatrice Jedy-Agba, urged the participants at the forum to harness the opportunities provided by the three-day consultative forum to improve modalities towards curbing cybercrime in Nigeria.
The chief judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho on his part, pledged the commitment of the courts towards achieving the aims of the Act, 2015 Cybercrime Act.
Justice Tsoho said, “The Federal High Court as an institution is committed to providing adequate support to all relevant stakeholders to achieve the aims of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Preventions) Act, 2015.
“Section 50 of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Preventions) Act, 2015 conferred on the Federal High Court exclusive jurisdiction over offences committed under the Act.”
Represented by Justice D.U. Okorowo, he stressed that the Federal High Court is not just a critical stakeholder, but a decisive partner in the achievement of the aims of the Act.