The Nigerian Government and the United Kingdom have officially established a Joint Case Team on Cybercrimes (JCTC) , a first-of-its-kind multi-agency collaboration aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s capacity to combat the growing danger of cybercrime.
At the launch in Abuja, Nigeria’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, described the JCTC as a “bold and transformative stride” in the country’s criminal justice system, emphasising that the initiative is more than just a project, but “the birth of a vision.”
The JCTC draws membership from critical government bodies, including the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrimes Centre (NPFNCCC), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), the Nigeria Computer Emergency Response Team (NgCert), the Federal Ministry of Justice, and the Federal High Court.
The team aims to address the increasing complexity of cybercrime through a coordinated approach that promotes intelligence sharing, reduces bureaucratic delays, and ensures prosecutors and investigators work side by side from the onset of cases.
The launch also acknowledged the critical role of international partners in realizing the initiative, including the UK National Crime Agency (NCA), the UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO), and the Commonwealth Secretariat (Comm Sec.), which provided IT equipment and foundational training for team members.
David Hanson, Minister of State at the UK Home Office, stated that the program will help combat cybercrime and provide value to the government’s crime-fighting strategy.
“We are proud of the fact that we’ve been able to assist with the development of this initiative and we stand ready as officials in the United Kingdom to support initiatives for the future
“We look forward to the work that you are doing in the future and we stand ready with you to tackle the people that seek to defraud our citizens both in Nigeria and in the United Kingdom to tackle crime head on,” Hanson added.
Stakeholders in Nigeria’s criminal justice system were also encouraged to back the team, which is expected to serve as a model for inter-agency coordination in the battle against cybercrime.
The occasion finished with the formal unveiling of the JCTC, the signing of an MoU, and a call for team members’ unity, honesty, and courage as they lead the charge against cyber threats to Nigeria’s digital infrastructure.
