President Bola Tinubu has charged security agencies in Nigeria to make concerted efforts and cooperate with one another in order to effectively combat the various security challenges facing the country.
Speaking at the inauguration of the Nigeria Police Force National Cyber Crime Center in Abuja yesterday (Wednesday, July 24), the president said the charge had become necessary in view of the dire security situation in the country triggered by what he described as “a complex blend of threats posed by well-organized non-state actors.”
Represented by the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani at the occasion, the President also called for an end to inter-agency rivalry among the various security services if the nation must end the menace of insecurity in the country.
“Addressing (the security situation in the country), a complex blend of threats posed by well-organised state actors’, requires a concerted approach by all stakeholders within the security architecture. I therefore call for the elimination of inter-agency rivalries and urge law enforcement agencies to embrace a coordinated, collaborative approach,” Tinubu said.
“In line with our policy objective of reforming the Nigerian Police Force, we are committed to investing further in the Nigeria Police Force through procurement of sufficient arms, weapons, and other critical equipment, as well as recruitment and continuous training to boost the number, quality, and preparedness of our police personnel.”
While reiterating his administration’s resolve to combat all forms of insecurity, the president noted that the country was witnessing a rise in threats posed by cybercriminals, assuring, however, that his administration “remains resolute in the fight against all forms of criminality.”
“As an emerging and rapidly evolving category of offense, cybercrimes are a new frontier in that battle. We are witnessing a rise in threats posed by cybercriminals, online financial fraudsters, and cyber terrorists who use the Internet to coordinate and carry out their destabilizing and nefarious activities,” Tinubu declared.
“It is impossible to overstate the size of this challenge. The rapid emergence of technologies, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the advent of 5G technology have all contributed to widening the scope and diversity of cyber-based threats. Since 2020, Nigeria has witnessed an unprecedented surge in the use of social media to spread subversive messages and incite violence and arrest.
“The Federal Government has taken several policy decisions, including the review of the National Cybercrime Strategy to mitigate the multifaceted threats posed by cybercrimes.
“Our objective is to usher Nigeria into a bright future driven by a prosperous cyberspace and digital economy. Prioritizing the security of our cyberspace, this administration is committed to enhancing the social security of Nigerians and tackling the economic and security challenges facing our country while also providing us with a platform to improve our credibility as a safe destination for foreign investment in the digital world.”
Soliciting mutual collaboration between the Centre and Office of the National Security Adviser to ensure a greater level of scrutiny of online activities in the country, President Tinubu said he hoped the Centre would complement the ONSA in the “protection of our critical national infrastructures by enabling a greater level of scrutiny of the online activities of those who seek to cause damage to our national interests.”
“The security situation in the country is a complex blend of threats posed by well-organized non-state actors,” he emphasized.
Earlier in his address, the Inspector General of Police IGP, Kayode Egbetokun, who noted that the Centre has achieved a lot of results since it was established not too long ago, disclosed that “the centre has proactively engaged in high-profile interventions bordering on cybercrime-related infiltrations and attacks.”
“Some of these attacks were carried out on government and non-governmental agencies,” he said, adding that “many of the suspects in these cases were arrested and prosecuted, while the trial is still ongoing in some of the fresh cases recorded.”
According to the IGP, 70 percent of stolen funds and assets had been recovered by the centre, assuring that “as we embark on this new chapter in the history of the Nigerian Police Force, I want to emphasize that cyber security is a shared responsibility that requires the cooperation and collaboration of all stakeholders. Together, we can build a resilient and secure cyberspace that enables our nation to thrive, innovate, and prosper in the digital age.”
Also speaking, the Minister of Police Affairs, Senator Ibrahim Gaidam represented by 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 called “National Criminal Data Fusion Center” at the NPF Headquarters that is aimed at digitizing crime data records and sharing crime information among the various security agencies in the country.
