UNODC Declares Cybercrime A National Security Threat, Calls For Vigilance and Collaboration
In an era where a single click can alter lives, economies, and nations, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has warned that cybercrime has evolved beyond a technical concern into a full-blown national security threat.
The UNODC Country Representative in Nigeria, Cheikh Toure, made this known during the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre’s 2025 Cybersecurity Awareness Campaign held in Abuja on Saturday to mark Cybersecurity Awareness Month.
Represented by Baranaye Diana Marcus, Project Coordinator for UNODC Cybercrime, Toure said cybercrime undermines public trust, exploits vulnerabilities, and preys on society’s most defenceless.
“In today’s interconnected world, cybersecurity is not merely a technical issue; it is a matter of national security, economic stability, and human rights,” he said.
Toure commended Nigeria’s proactive steps to strengthen its cyber resilience, pledging continued UNODC support through enhanced legal frameworks, investigative capacity building, and international cooperation.
Also speaking, the Director-General of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Abisoye Coker-Odusote, represented by Lanre Yusuf, highlighted the strong link between cybersecurity and national identity, stressing that trusted digital identity is key to securing cyberspace.
She warned that with evolving technology comes heightened threats, including identity theft, data breaches, and misuse of digital credentials, and called for a culture of vigilance and shared responsibility across institutions and citizens alike.
In her remarks, the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Kemi Nanna Nandap, represented by CIS MM Maradun, underscored the importance of inter-agency collaboration through deliberate information and resource sharing to counter cyber threats effectively.
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, represented by DIG Sadiq Idris Abubakar, commended the National Cybercrime Centre for its dedication to denying cybercriminals the freedom to operate, noting that technology should remain a tool for national progress, not a weapon for criminality.
Earlier, the Commissioner of Police, NPF-NCCC, Uche Ifeanyi Henry, explained that the awareness campaign aims to educate Nigerians on safe online practices, urging citizens to maintain digital hygiene and protect their personal information.
With Nigeria’s digital ecosystem expanding rapidly, the message from stakeholders was clear, cybersecurity is everyone’s business, and collective vigilance is the strongest defence against a borderless threat.
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