FG approves Cybercrime draft bill

The Federal Executive Council today approved a draft bill by Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke for control and dictation of cybercrime.

The Minister of Justice brought a memo to seek council’s approval for the contents of the Cybercrime Bill, 2013 and its transmission to the National Assembly for enactment into law.

According to him,  ”Cybercrimes are species of cross-border crimes perpetrated in time and space from any geographical sport in the world.

“The core objective of the Cybercrime Bill, 2013 is to prove an effective, unified and comprehensive legal, regulatory and institutional framework for the prohibition, prevention, detection, prosecution and punishment of cybercrimes in Nigeria, promote cyber security and ensure the protection of critical national information infrastructure.

“There is need for cooperation and international coalition to combat cybercrimes and that a lot is expected of Nigeria as a noteworthy regional power in Africa by the International community which expects her to acquaint herself commendably by joining forces with other members of the comity of nations in the fight against cybercrimes and in the promotion of cyber security.

“Because the Bill is in conformity with existing Nigerian laws, the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime and reflects Nigeria’s obligations under the soon-to-be finalised AU Convention on the subject matter, council approved the Bill for an Act to provide for the prohibition, prevention, detection, response and prosecution of cybercrimes and other related matters, 2013 for onward transmission to the National Assembly for passage into law”.