Nigeria Launches UK-Backed Cyber Crime Task Force
The Nigerian UK National Crime Agency has launched a multi-agency task force known as the Joint Case Team on Cybercrimes (JCTC) to collaboratively combat cybercrime in Nigeria.
The initiative, backed by the UK National Crime Agency (NCA), the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the Commonwealth Secretariat (CommSec), was launched on Tuesday in Abuja.
It seeks to strengthen the country’s criminal justice response to cybercrime.
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef O. Fagbemi, inaugurated the task force at the Federal Ministry of Justice, Abuja.
He described the move as a bold and transformative stride in Nigeria’s justice system.
Speaking during the ceremony, Fagbemi said that although Nigeria has a national legal framework to address cyber offences, laws alone are not sufficient.
“It is the people who interpret, enforce, and apply these laws that must be equipped, united, and empowered to act—swiftly, cohesively, and effectively,” he said, adding “an effective criminal justice response requires seamless cooperation between relevant actors – the investigators and prosecutors”
Fagbemi also noted that “international cooperation as a tool can only be effective if, at national levels, there is collaboration which is constantly being strengthened.”
The JCTC is designed to enhance coordination among key actors in Nigeria’s criminal justice system, including investigators and prosecutors, to ensure a seamless and efficient response to cyber threats.
The team comprises representatives from the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrimes Centre, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Nigeria Computer Emergency Response Team (NgCERT), the Federal Ministry of Justice, and the Federal High Court.
Fagbemi clarified that the JCTC is not intended to usurp the statutory powers of any member agency but rather to foster respect for institutional mandates and promote intelligence sharing.
The Attorney General thanked the United Kingdom for its support through the NCA, FCDO, and the Commonwealth Secretariat.
Their contributions, ranging from the provision of IT equipment to foundational training, were described as instrumental in bringing the vision of the JCTC to life.
Fagbemi extended gratitude to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court and heads of participating agencies for nominating representatives to the task force.
He charged the task force members to walk in unity, work with integrity, and serve with courage, describing them as “torchbearers of a new era.”
“May the JCTC serve as a beacon of what is possible when purpose meets partnership,” Fagbemi concluded.
Nigeria Launches UK-Backed Cyber Crime Task Force is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
