Tinubu Commissions Ultramordern And Digitalized National Cybercrime Centre

Jonas Ezieke, Abuja

The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has commissioned the ultramodern and digitalized National Cybercrime Centre to strengthen the efficiency of law enforcing agencies in the country.

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The President’s address was read by the Minister of Communication, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani at the cybercrime centre in Abuja stating that the government is committed to investing in Nigeria’s Police Force through the procurement of sufficient arms, weapons, and other equipment as well as recruitment and continuous training to boast the number, quality, and preparedness of the police personnel.

In his words, “This administration remains resolute in the fight against all forms of criminality. As emerging and rapid categories of offenses, cyber crimes are a new frontier in the battle. We are witnessing a rise in the threat posed by cybercriminals, online financial fraudsters, and cyber terrorists who use the internet to coordinate and carry out destabilizing and nefarious activities”.

He said the emerging development of technology, covid-19 pandemic, and the advent of 5G technology have all contributed to widening the scope and diversity of cyberspace threats. “Since 2020, Nigeria has witnessed an unprecedented surge in the use of social media to spread inflammatory messages and incite violence and unrest. The President noted.

Tinubu stated that the Federal Government has set up several major policy decisions including the review of the cybercrime plan which would work toward mitigating multiple crimes posed by cybercriminals.

He added that the present administration is committed to enhancing social security of Nigerians and tackling the economic and security challenges facing the country while also providing a platform to improve the nation’s credibility as a safe designation for foreign investment in the digital world.

The President urged the Inspector- General of Police to effectively utilize the facility to protect Nigeria’s cyberspace and ensure that it is used to enhance the national development and economic progress of the country.

 “ It is my hope the centre will complement the ONSA in the protection of the critical national infrastructure and scrutiny of online activities of those who seek to cause damage to our national interest. ”.

The President calls for the elimination of interagency rivalry and embraces collaborative efforts to stem the complex security threats posed by organized state actors.

In his goodwill message, the Minister of Police Affairs, Senator Ibrahim Gaidam represented by the Director of Police Services Department, Mr. Ibrahim Muhammad pointed out that, the highest form of criminality today takes place in cyberspace and has continued to spread like wildfire especially among our younger ones, causing a lot of harm and havoc to the society.

He commended the efforts of the Nigeria Police Force for their swift and proactive measures in curtailing this cyber menace in our society by building this Cyber Crime Center.

Gaidam revealed that there is an ongoing project entitled, “National Criminal Data Fusion Center” at the NPF Headquarters that is aimed at digitalizing crime data record and share crime information among the various security agencies in the country. “The project will be ready for commissioning as soon as the expected fund is released for its completion”. he stressed.

Earlier, the Inspector General of Police IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun opined that the modern digital technology facility will serve as a nerve centre of revolutionary the act of policing in Nigeria and indeed entire sub-Saharan Africa in the fight against cyber threats.

In his words, “The NPF National Cybercrime centre emboldens our commitment to harnessing technology innovation and collaboration to address the growing challenges posed by cybercrimes and its related offenses.

This centre represents a new frontier in law enforcement where we are leveraging cutting edge tools, expertise, and partnership to protect, investigate and combat cybercrimes”.