IGP orders expansion of cybercrime centre to Lagos, Kaduna

Kayode Egbetokun, inspector-general of police, has ordered the expansion of the operations of the national cybercrime centre to existing force criminal investigations department (FCID) annex offices.

The select FCID annex offices are in Lagos, Kaduna, Gombe, and Enugu states.

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) national cybercrime centre is the police unit established to combat cybercrimes in the country.

The cybercrime centre was only domiciled in Abuja. Persons who allegedly violated the Cybercrimes Act are often taken to Abuja for questioning.

In a statement on Monday, Muyiwa Adejobi, force spokesperson, said the directive means that the centre will now have operational offices at the FCID annex in the aforementioned states.

Adejobi said the move will “help in professionally coordinating and monitoring smooth investigations of cyber-related infractions reported to the police”.

“Following the recent upsurge in the creation and circulation of misinformative and dis-informative materials and other cyber-related crimes, capable of causing a breakdown of law and order and attempting to discredit the country, using the various social media platforms, it has become expedient to take proactive and strategic steps to nip this trend in the bud in order to prevent damage to the peaceful coexistence of well-meaning citizens and residents of our great country,” the statement reads.

“To this end, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D., NPM, has ordered the expansion of the activities of the NPF National Cybercrime Centre (NCCC) to the existing Force Criminal Investigations Department Annex offices to facilitate the efficient handling of matters related to the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act 2024.”

Some analysts have criticised the police for allegedly hiding under the Cybercrimes Act to clamp down on journalists and activists.