The Director of the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC), Nigeria’s Commissioner of Police (CP), Ifeanyi Uche, has emerged as chairman of the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL’s) African Heads of Cybercrime Units.

CP Uche emerged on Friday, May 3, after the 10th Africa Working Group meeting on cybercrime for heads of units held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel from April 29th to May 3.

While delivering his speech, the Commissioner of Police said: “Cybercrime poses a significant threat to our societies, economies, and security, and it is imperative that we work together to address this growing challenge. As chairman, I am committed to leading from the front, fostering the much-desired collaboration among our member units to enhance our collective ability to prevent and investigate cybercrimes effectively in Africa.

“I consider this as a call to champion the enthronement of a new charter of technological renaissance and home-grown cybersecurity ethics in Africa and a paradigm shift from absolute dependence on external solutions to African-nurtured technological initiatives, adaptive to our socio-political ecosystem. This is achievable by harnessing and leveraging our inherent collective expertise, and resources through a common political will,” he said.

He further stated that: “We can make significant strides in combating cybercrime and creating a safer digital environment for all Africans. Together, we can stay ahead of the evolving threats posed by cybercriminals and protect our citizens from harm.

“With the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the emergence of Al and IOT, the undeniable reality is that global cyberspace is undergoing profound and rapid changes given the penetration of new technologies and growing interconnection of the system. Though this evolution offers opportunities for innovations, diversification, and cost optimization, it also carries with it increased exposure to new and devastating risks of imminent cyber-attacks. These attacks permeate and affect the entire global digital ecosystem equally with no exception to geographic belts hence we, but affects businesses of all sizes both in public and private sectors in all regions at a breakneck speed.”

Also speaking, the Minister of State for Police Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, said: “Having over 120 participants across 54 African countries and beyond engaging for over five days is not only commendable but inspiring because it gives us hope and confidence in the safety of Africa’s digital space and the prosperity of our nations and citizens.

“As you are aware, cybersecurity has emerged as a critical issue, not just for Nigeria but for the entire African continent. The rapid advancement of technology has brought unprecedented opportunities for development and progress, but it has also exposed us to new risks and vulnerabilities. As we witness the increasing digitization of our economies and societies, it is important that we strengthen our cybersecurity frameworks to mitigate these risks effectively. Cybercrime is borderless, and this means that collaboration is not an option, but a must,” he added. (The Nation)

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