By Odita Sunday
The Deputy Inspector-General of Police incharge of Investigation, DIG Sylvester Abiodun Alabi has disclosed that Inspiration to establish a police cyber security center was drawn from the upsurge in crime in the country and the need to save Nigeria from the embarrassment occasioned by internet fraudsters and identity thieves.
The DIG, who is the supervising officer of the newly established centre, noted that the unit under him is one of the best in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The DIG underscored the importance of a cyber security policing department in checking the illicit activities of rampaging online criminals popularly called ‘yahoo boys’.
Speaking at the commissioning of the centre, the police boss said: “It is an honour and great privilege to welcome Your Excellency on this special occasion of the official commissioning of the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Center (NPF-NCCC), a national monument and one of its kind in the entire Sub-Sahara Africa.
“What we witness here today is indeed a dream come true and timely response to the evolving wave of cybercrime and its consequential effects on our national ecosystem.
“The vision for this Center was conceived in a small Container, famously called “THE CONTAINER LAB” at the Force Criminal Investigation Department with a collection of naive yet enthusiastic personnel operating with obsolete gadgets.
“The inspiration was largely drawn from the upsurge in cyber and cyber-enabled crimes and apparent knowledge and skill gaps in the force in tackling the scourge.
“Furthermore, there was increasing volume of complaints being received from INTERPOL involving Nigerian threat actors. Considering the number of threat Actors identified or suspected to be of Nigerian descent, the need for a concerted and proactive police action to salvage the dwindling integrity of the country vis a vis the international rating of the country on the index of ease of doing business became imperative.
“Within a short period of operation, the Center has quickly evolved into global reckoning with numerous groundbreaking successes in the fight against cybercrime and other transnational organized crimes in joint operations with INTERPOL and international partners leading to the arrest, prosecution of high-profile threat actors and dismantling sophisticated Cybercrime syndicates globally.
“Your Excellency, Sir, I wish to proudly inform you that the Nigeria Police Force
under the leadership of our amiable Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun Phd, NPM can boast of the largest assemblage of Forensic and cybercrime subject experts in the entire Sub-Saharan African Law Enforcement Community comprising of Certified Ethical Hackers, Computer Forensic Investigators, and a host of specialized Cybercrime investigator.
“For Administrative and Operational convenience, the Center is structured into seven Directorates with five functional digital forensic laboratories, vis; Administration, Defense and Protection, Threat Response, Network Analysis, Intelligence, Cybercrime/ Forensic Laboratory and Legal
The Center is designed to serve as a Cybercrime Fusion Center (CENTER OF EXCELLENCE) in cyber and cyber-enabled crime investigations not only for the Nigeria Police Force, but for all law enforcement agencies (LEAs) in the country and beyond.
“The facility is fitted with the most modern robust digital forensic tools with capacity to provide Real-time interventions on cyber enabled crime and cybersecurity threats in both public and private sectors of our national ecosystem.
“I humbly wish to express my deepest appreciation to your
administration for bequeathing this innovative facility to the Nigeria Police Force
that will ultimately revolutionize the art of policing in our polity in line with international best practices.
“This resonates with the Renewed hope Agenda of this administration and made possible through the intervention of the Central Bank (CBN) corporate social responsibility initiative.
“NPF-NCCC is evidence of promise made and promise kept and will stand as one of the enduring relics of your stewardship to the nation and history will perpetually be kind to you on this.
“However, digital forensic is an evolving and multi-billiondollar investment that requires constant review of trends and renewal of software tools license as well as operational knowledge to keep the pace.
“I passionately appeal for the intervention of Your Excellency on the establishment of special intervention fund for renewal of existing licenses, acquisition of new tools, solutions, training and re-training and general maintenance of the Center running into millions of dollars which may be beyond the financial scope of the Force.
“While appreciating the Inspector general of Police for midwifing thing project and finding us worthy of this herculean task, I wish to commend the CBN Governor and implementing Partners for their professionalism, dedication and sacrifices for quickly aligning with the vision of this administration.
“As we pledge our total allegiance to the Nigeria Police Force and unwavering commitment to our dear nation, once again, I say thank you, Mr President and all the special guests.”