A Nigerian youth initiative is leading a petition calling for a government crackdown on cybercrime.
The organisation, Paradigm Initiative Nigeria (PIN) says Nigeria still ranked as the world’s third worst offender on the Internet Crime Complaints Centre’s most recent Internet Crime Report.
PIN said it had the support of Microsoft, the Economic & Financial Crimes Commission and the World Bank Civil Society Program to implement a social campaign that seeks to redirect the energy of young Nigerians who are involved in cybercrime. It has also launched an online campaign where signatories call on the Nigerian authorities to address the issue of cybercrime “head on”.
PIN said the Cyber Security and Data Protection Agency Bill, sponsored by Hon. Etim Bassey, and listed as HB. 154 in the House of Assembly, and the Electronic Fraud Prohibition Bill, 2008 (SB. 185) sponsored by Senator Ayo Arise in the Senate already provided a foundation. However, it wanted to see the accelerated passage of more firm, but fair, legislation to fight cybercrime.
As part of the campaign, PIN called on Nigerians to petition the leadership of the National Assembly to accelerate the passage of a much-needed bill. The organisation said: “We hope to get at least 10 000 signatures that will then be delivered to the relevant institutions in November 2011. Please spread the word, and let’s get ourselves out of this cybercrime mess!”
