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By Ogechi Uche-Ebosie
With the rise in cybercrime and new methods by criminals in outsmarting security agents in the country, a new book, “Cybercrime and the Law: Issues and Developments in Nigeria,” has been published to educate the public on the importance of adequate and effective legal response to the issue of cybercrime.
The book was authored by an IT lawyer and lecturer, Dr. Ifeoma E. Nwafor.
At the public presentation of the book in Lagos recently were Justice C.C. Nweze and Prof. Fabian Ajogwu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, as the special guest of honour (who also wrote the foreword) and chairman on the occasion, respectively.
Also present were members of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), the police, Interpol and the press.
Nwafor, who holds a PhD in Internet Technology and Cyber Laws, said her passion to explore the legal aspects of cyber security and the prevailing rate of cybercrime in the country compelled her to write the book.
Regretting that cybercrime has eaten deep into the cyber ecosystem in Nigeria and globally, she added that there are conflicting provisions in the numerous enactments governing the investigation and prosecution of cybercrime in Nigeria. She also stressed that it is difficult for the law to catch up with technology since cybercriminals try to outsmart law enforcement agencies with new tricks in cyberspace.
“However, the good thing is that the law can employ flexible, extensive and unambiguous provisions that will always capture new cybercrimes that may crop up in the ever-evolving cyber realm,” she said.
The book will serve as a guide, highlighting that to eliminate clashes between legislation on cybercrime in Nigeria, there is a need to harmonise cybercrime-related laws, whereby there will be a unified fight against cybercrime.
Nwafor disclosed that her target audience are policymakers, the IT industry, academic sector, financial sector, cybersecurity experts and individuals to gain security tips to avoid being victims of cybercrime.
Justice Nweze, who wrote the foreword, praised the professional work done by the author, saying that it is an intellectual work of a genius, coming at the right time. He recommended the book to all law schools, judges, SANs, policymakers, NBA and professionals in other law-related fields.
Dr. Khrushchev Ekweme, the book reviewer, who was represented by Dr. Echefu Ukatta, explained that the book captured the concept of cybercrime and thus, did justice by churning out concise and readable ideas, highlighting the laws of cybercrime, investigation and prosecution of criminals in the cyber world.
He threw light on each of the seven chapters of the book, informing the guests of the author’s simplifying ideas on curbing cybercrime and criminality in society.
Ukatta proposed that all agencies saddled with the responsibility of fighting cybercrime should have copies of the book and key into the proffered ideas.
The chairman of the occasion, Prof. Ajogwu, lamented the increase in cybercrime in the country, adding that the craze has eaten deep into the system. He praised the author for developing such professional and essential work at the right time.
Mrs. Funke Agbo, a legal practitioner, showered encomiums on the author for a job well done. The representative of the EFCC chairman, Mr Ayo Oyewole, congratulated the author for her book, which he said would help the commission solve cybercrime in the country.
A representative of the Cyber Security Experts Association of Nigeria eulogised Nwafor for achieving a remarkable feat by helping to curb cybercrime.
