TINUBU GOVERNMENT TO BEGIN FULL ENFORCEMENT OF CYBERCRIME LAW

The Bola Tinubu administration intends to fully execute the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention) Act, 2024 (amended), in order to prevent terrorists from using social media.
Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, the National Security Adviser (NSA), made this known in a statement issued on Thursday by Zakari Mijinyawa, the Head of Strategic Communications at the NSA.

Ribadu also directed all law enforcement agencies, regulators, enterprises, and stakeholders in the country to guarantee that enforcement is carried out.

He stated that the directive was issued following the high-level African International Counter-Terrorism Meeting, which took place in Abuja on April 22 and 23, 2024.

According to the NSA, during the discussion, African leaders requested for increased deployment of support and resources to bolster cybersecurity initiatives in Africa, as well as specific steps to prevent terrorists and organised criminal groups from using social media and other platforms.

Ribadu stated that a 0.5% charge on the value of all electronic transactions by the identified businesses in the Second Schedule to the Cybercrime Act will be collected and deposited to the National Cybercrime Fund.

He added that all impediments to the full operationalisation of the Cybercrimes law have been addressed.

The statement reads, “In view of the need to secure Nigeria’s digital space and safeguard national security and economic interests, as well as deploy additional resources to counter terrorism and violent extremism as provided in section 44(5) of the Cybercrimes Act, all law enforcement agencies, regulators, businesses and stakeholders have been communicated by this office to put in place mechanisms for the full implementation and enforcement of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Amendment Act 2024.

“By this amendment, all impediments to the full operationalisation of the Cybercrimes law have been addressed.”