The Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Engr. Bisoye Coker-Odusote, has praised the Nigeria Police Force – National Cyber Crime Center (NPF-NCCC) for its significant efforts in tackling cybercrime, especially identity fraud, in the country.

Speaking at a lecture marking Cybersecurity Week 2024 in Abuja, the NIMC DG highlighted the NPF-NCCC’s role in advancing the fight against cybercrime.

“We want to commend the Nigeria Police Force, National Cyber Crime Center, for the necessary effort and strides they have made in tackling cybercrime-related activities such as identity fraud,” she said.

“They have been a great support to NIMC in tackling a lot of these phishing websites that we had. A lot of times, the data is not coming in, but over the years, there has been email scam activity nationwide.

“Internationally, you also hear of romance scams where they call you and pretend to be someone else. So, there are different types of identity theft. But it is a global phenomenon, and we are making the necessary strides to tackle it.

“And the National Cyber Crime Center is actively supporting us in addressing these issues. You know, security agencies don’t talk, but they have done a great deal. If they could put out the true figures, you would be very impressed.

“I am very happy to be part of it, and I am happy that they have created an awareness week for cybersecurity, putting that information out there and letting Nigerians understand that we are working very hard on this issue.

“We are working assiduously to make a difference in the cybercrime area, and they have been doing that successfully. This shows that Nigeria is a pacesetter in tackling these issues in Africa.”

Coker-Odusote noted a decline in cybercrime activities, adding, “From my personal experience and from what you read, you can see that there has been a great reduction in cybercrime in Nigeria in the last year and a half.”

Clarifying NIMC’s role, she said the NIMC only issues the National Identification Number, which is a unique number, adding that the agency does not register SIM cards.

She stressed that registration of SIM cards is under the purview of the telecommunications industry or telecoms, supervised by the NCC.

She said, “The security agencies are working very hard. They have resolved some kidnapping and other criminal cases. This is what NPF-NCCC is fighting against.

“Before we even had identity theft, there was also paper-based theft. People used to steal passports, change them, and put their own faces on them. With new technologies, new cyber threats emerge.

“Regarding SIM cards, the NCC, NIMC, and the Office of the National Security Adviser have a joint task team, involving NPF-NCCC, to tackle SIM card-related issues.”

In an interview, the Director of NPF-NCCC, CP Uche Ifeanyi Henry, stressed the importance of awareness.

“Participants were enriched with a lot of information and knowledge and were educated with relevant facts that can help them stay safe online,” he said.

“We were able to equip them with some of our capabilities to enable them to contact us in cases of cyberattacks. They have been sensitized—they know what we can do and what to expect if issues arise from the Nigerian Police Cybercrime Commission.

“We look forward to partnering with most of the tech partners that attended this event. If anyone is affected by a cyberattack, they can reach out to us for help.”

Henry also noted that some teenagers are still involved in cybercrime activities.

“We are looking forward to engaging with students of higher institutions and universities in the near future. We are making plans to face them and sensitize them,” he added.

Meanwhile, Isah Mohammed, a seconded police officer to Interpol and Head of Africa Cybercrime Operations Desk, praised the collaborative efforts against cybercrime in Nigeria.

“For the first time in Nigeria, I have seen commitment from different stakeholders in the way they are ready to combat cybercrime,” he said.