The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba Alkali has ordered that all the cybercrime units of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) be merged into one centre to ensure effectiveness against cybercrime-related offences. This was made known on Friday in a statement issued by the Public Relations Officers (PRO) of NPF, Olumuyiwa Adejobi.
The statement reads, “The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba Alkali has ordered the immediate reorganisation of the cybercrime units in the Nigeria Police Force to ensure effectiveness, efficiency and a formidable front against cybercrime-related offences provided for in the Cybercrime Prevention Act, 2015.
“The reorganisation means that all the various units under investigative departments, hitherto, investigating cybercrimes will be merged under the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre domiciled in the Force Criminal Investigations Department, Force Headquarters, Abuja”.
Henry Ifeanyi, a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) was also appointed by the IGP as the director of the cybercrime centre.
According to the statement, “DCP Ifeanyi holds a Master’s Degree in Security and Strategic Studies from the Nasarawa State University, Keffi and is currently pursuing a PhD in Cybersecurity at the University of Glasgow, Scotland.
“He is a certified Ethical Hacker and a Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator, having attended several local and international courses on cyber security”.
The statement also disclosed that the newly appointed director is a member of INTERPOL Cybercrime Advisory Body, Association of Cybercrime Specialists, amongst other professional associations.