The Federal Government has pledged to invest in the Nigeria Police Force through the provision of equipment, facilities, and adequate training while recognising the importance of the NPF- National Cybercrime Centre in upholding national security and its alignment with the reformation agenda
President Bola Tinubu represented by the Minister of Communication, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, reiterated this commitment on Wednesday, 24th July 2024 during the commissioning of two landmark projects; the NPF National Cybercrime Centre and the NPF Resource Centre.
His words: “This administration remains resolute in the fight against all forms of criminality. As emerging and rapid categories of offences, 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 destabilising and nefarious activities.”
While recognizing the importance of the NPF National Cybercrime Centre in upholding national security and its alignment with the reformation agenda of his administration, President Tinubu also called for interagency collaboration as a key to stamping out inter-agency rivalry.
The president urged the Inspector General of Police to effectively utilise 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 critical national infrastructure and the scrutiny of online activities of those who seek to cause damage to our national interests,” he said.
The president calls for the elimination of interagency rivalry and embraces collaborative efforts to stem the complex security threats posed by organised state actors.
The Minister of Police Affairs, Ibrahim Gaidam, represented by the Director of Police Services Department, Ibrahim Muhammad, pointed out that the highest form of criminality today takes place in cyberspace and has continued to spread like wildfire, especially among younger ones, causing a lot of harm and havoc in society.
He commended the efforts of the Nigeria Police Force for its swift and proactive measures in curtailing this cyber menace in our society by building the cybercrime centre.
Gaidam revealed that there is an ongoing project entitled “National Criminal Data Fusion Centre” at the NPF Headquarters that is aimed at digitalizing crime data records and sharing crime information among the various security agencies in the country. The project, he said, “will be ready for commissioning as soon as the expected fund is released for its completion.”
In his remark, the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, said: “The NPF National Cybercrime Centre emboldens our commitment to harnessing technology innovation and collaboration to address the growing challenges posed by cybercrimes and their related offences.
“This centre represents a new frontier in law enforcement where we are leveraging cutting-edge tools, expertise, and partnership to protect, investigate and combat cybercrime.”
The NPF National Cybercrime Centre is a state-of-the-art, ultramodern, and digitalized office complex dedicated to anti-cybercrime operations, and will serve as the central hub for national efforts to combat cybercrime, leveraging advanced technology and digital tools to enhance our operational capabilities.
The NPF Resource Centre, also commissioned today, is a multifaceted facility that includes state-of-the-art conference halls and accommodation spaces for various events, designed to support a wide range of activities, including training sessions, conferences, and workshops, providing a conducive environment for professional development and collaboration