The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi SAN, on Tuesday officially launched the Joint Case Team on Cybercrimes, aimed at bringing cybercriminals across Nigeria to justice.
“To Nigerians, we are building a system that will protect you, defend your rights, and bring cybercriminals to book (justice),” he said at the launch, which took place at the Federal Ministry of Justice in Maitama, Abuja.
The event drew participation from David Hanson, UK Minister of State for Home Affairs, officials from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), and the Director of the NPF National Cybercrime Centre, among others.
Synergy in cybercrime fight
In his keynote address, Fagbemi said the Joint Case Team on Cybercrimes marks a bold and transformative step in Nigeria’s criminal justice system.
- Explaining the vision behind the team, the AGF said it is built on a collaborative approach to combating the menace of cybercrime.
“A vision founded on the principles of synergy, coordination, and mutual respect among institutions committed to justice,” he added.
- According to him, cybercrime is complex and constantly evolving, and combating it requires an effective criminal justice response, with seamless cooperation between relevant actors—namely, investigators and prosecutors.
“International cooperation can only be effective if, at the national level, collaboration is constantly strengthened. Cybercriminals may exploit a lack of coordination,” he warned.
- He noted that the Joint Case Team on Cybercrimes was established in response to the need for a coordinated and robust approach to fighting cybercrimes, as envisioned in the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act, 2015, as amended.
Members of the team were drawn from:
- The Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrimes Centre (NPFNCCC)
- The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)
- The Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU)
- The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP)
- The Nigeria Computer Emergency Response Team (NgCERT), Office of the National Security Adviser
- The Federal Ministry of Justice
- The Federal High Court
Fagbemi emphasized that the team was created to ensure that the justice system is not hampered by bureaucratic bottlenecks but is driven by the common goal of achieving efficiency—where investigators and prosecutors work side by side from the outset of a case, aligning strategies, pooling resources, harmonizing efforts, building capacity, and ultimately achieving results together.
The AGF also appreciated international partners—especially the UK National Crime Agency (NCA), the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), and the Commonwealth Secretariat (CommSec)—whose commitment has gone beyond words and translated into action through the provision of IT equipment and support for foundational training for the team.
What you should know
Nairametrics previously reported that in early 2024, Nigeria was ranked 5th in a global report on sources of cybercrime activities, behind Russia (1st), Ukraine (2nd), China (3rd), and the United States (4th).
The report, described as the first-ever World Cybercrime Index, was produced by researchers from the Department of Sociology, University of Oxford, and the University of New South Wales, Canberra.
It identified major global cybercrime hotspots by ranking the most significant national sources of cybercrime.
Backstory
In October 2024, the EFCC raised alarm over the increasing prevalence of cybercrime in Nigeria, revealing that the country lost more than $500 million to such illegal activities in 2022.
As Nigeria continued to grapple with this growing threat, the United States established a special office at its embassy in Abuja to support and strengthen cybersecurity efforts in the country.
More recently, the federal government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, raised alarm over the rise of cyber slavery across parts of West Africa, particularly targeting Nigerian citizens and vulnerable youths.
In a statement signed by Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, spokesperson for the Ministry, it was revealed that many young Nigerians, including underage teenagers, are being lured out of the country under false promises of lucrative employment abroad, especially in crypto-related operations.