FG steps up fight against cybercrime, flags off awareness campaign

In a bid to ensure a more secured online environment in the country, the Federal Government, on Tuesday, said it has commenced the process of reviewing all legal and regulatory frameworks against cybercrimes.

As a precursor to the process, the Federal Ministry of Justice flagged off a three-day sensitization program to raise awareness on what it described as emerging “threats to technology and confidential data.”

In a speech she delivered before an awareness walk that was staged in Abuja by lawyers and staff members of the Ministry, the Solicitor General of the Federation, SGF, Mrs. Beatrice Jedy-Agba, noted that with the advancement of technology in the post-covid era, most government services became automated.

“Online meetings and service deliveries have fast become a usual as well as the use of Internet among Civil Servants at all levels, which among other things, speaks to the interconnectedness of our today’s world.

“As technology rapidly evolves, so does the complexity and scale of cyber threats.

“The knowledge of cybercrimes and the law among the Civil Servants in Nigeria will aid the Governments’ whole-of-governemt approach to effectively combat cybercrime as well as the implementation of the cybercrime law.

“Considering the realities of the Nigerian Civil Servant and the Service ad a while and the need for awareness campaigns to be better targeted and focused on achievable goals by promoting specific attitudes and behaviors, the Federal Ministry of Justice is taking the lead in line with the goal of building strong institutions, by embarking on a 3 days Cybercrime Awareness program tagged ‘Don’t Fall Victim, Don’t Perpetrate’.

“This is a collaboration between government agencies, industry stakeholders and the international community to raise awareness on Cybercrime and the law; and help individuals protect themselves and be more proactive online as threats to technology and confidential data become more commonplace,” the SGF added.

On her part, the Head of Cybercrimes Unit at the Federal Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Jamila Akaaga-Ade, said the government has commenced the process of amending the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015, adding that FG has adopted a strategic document on cyber security.

“Life has moved into the internet. Before now, we had meetings person-to- person, but now, a lot of things have moved online and it is even worse at this post COVID-19 era,” she added.

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