Nigeria, United Kingdom Sign MoU On Cybercrime

In a bid to tackle the high rate of cybercrime in the country, the federal government, in collaboration with the United Kingdom, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to that effect.

At the signing ceremony in Abuja, the Attorney General of the Federation, (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, signed on behalf of the Federal Government while the Minister of State, Home Affairs, Lord David Hanson signed for the UK.

The event also featured the launch of the Joint Case Team on Cybercrimes (JCTC), by the AGF in response to the need for a coordinated and robust approach to fighting cybercrime as contemplated in the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, as amended.

In a remark, Fagbemi said the launch of the JCTC is the birth of a vision built on a collaborative approach to combatting the menace of cybercrime as well as a vision that finds its foundation in the principles of synergy, coordination and mutual respect among institutions committed to justice.

According to the AGF, while there is the need for a national legal framework for combatting cybercrime, it is important to note that, laws alone cannot win battles, stressing the need to equip, unite and empower the people who interpret, enforce and apply the laws for effective service delivery .

He said an effective criminal justice response requires seamless cooperation between relevant key players, the investigators, and prosecutors, noting that cybercriminals may exploit a lack of coordination.

Fagbemi said, is not intended to usurp statutory powers of individual team members, but a model rooted in respect for institutional mandates, promoting inter-agency relationship and intelligence sharing.

On his part, the Minister of State, Home Affairs of the UK, Lord David Hanson said the MoU between the Nigerian government and the UK will tackle the issue of cybercrime and crack down cyber criminals in Nigeria.

According to him, the agreement between the two countries will also develop the economy of Nigeria and that of the United Kingdom, hence he restated the commitment of the UK to support Nigeria in the fight against cybercrimes to bring cyber criminals to justice.

Earlier, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) country director, Mr. Cheikh Toure said the initiative marks a significant stride in the collective effort to combat cybercrime, which transcends borders and impacts every sector of the society.

He said the commitment demonstrated by the Nigerian government and all relevant agencies in fostering collaboration among investigators, prosecutors, and the judiciary exemplifies the forward-thinking leadership required to address the global challenge.

Members of the JCTC are drawn from, the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrimes Centre (NPFNCCC), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), National Security Adviser, Federal Ministry of Justice and the Federal High Court of Nigeria.

Garry Ochigbo Edited by Blessing Nyor