ABUJA – The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) has issued a directive to all law enforcement agencies, regulators, businesses, and stakeholders to implement mechanisms for the full enforcement of the Cybercrimes Prohibition Act.
Zakari Mijinyawa, the Head of Strategic Communications at ONSA, announced this in a statement on Thursday. He stated that the directive was necessary to secure Nigeria’s Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII), counter-terrorism and violent extremism, strengthen national security, and protect economic interests.
Mijinyawa added that the directive is part of the concrete steps being taken to prevent the use of social media and other platforms by terrorists and organized criminal groups.
The statement recalled that Nigeria had joined 66 other countries in 2022 to sign and ratify the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime. The convention aims to enhance international cooperation, provide a common platform, and procedural tools for efficient and safe cyberspace.
This move, according to Mijinyawa, is in line with section 41(2) (a) of the Cybercrime Act 2015, which requires Nigerian cybercrime and cybersecurity laws and policies to conform with regional and international standards.
Mijinyawa also mentioned that African leaders had recently emphasized the urgent need for improved deployment of greater support and resources towards strengthening cybersecurity activities in Africa. This measure aligns with the agreement reached at the recently concluded High-Level African International Counter-Terrorism Meeting in Abuja.
He concluded by saying that additional resources would be deployed to counter terrorism and violent extremism as provided in section 44(5) of the Cybercrimes Act.
