Ministry of Justice Seeks New Measures to Address AI-driven Cybercrimes

Nigeria's Federal Ministry of Justice, in partnership with domestic and international collaborators, is actively seeking innovative approaches to prosecute cybercrime offenders, with a specific focus on crimes facilitated by Artificial Intelligence (AI). The initiative underscores the evolving nature of digital threats and the need for a modernized criminal justice response.

During a specialized training event in Lagos for members of the Joint Case Team on Cybercrime (JCTC) and designated Federal High Court judges, stakeholders emphasized the critical need for robust digital evidence management, seamless inter-agency collaboration, and ongoing capacity building. These measures are deemed essential for Nigeria to effectively counter increasingly sophisticated cybercrimes.

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Our response cannot remain static. It must be innovative, intelligence driven, collaborative and forward looking. Cybercrime can not be tackled by isolated institutions because investigations increasingly crossed national borders and involved multiple agencies.

Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, noted that cybercrime has transcended conventional hacking and online fraud. He highlighted the rise of AI-assisted crimes, deepfakes, voice cloning, ransomware attacks, cryptocurrency-enabled offenses, identity theft, and complex transnational cyber networks. "Our response cannot remain static. It must be innovative, intelligence driven, collaborative and forward looking," Oyedepo stated, stressing that isolated institutional efforts are insufficient due to the cross-border and multi-agency nature of investigations.

Oyedepo further explained that the training's inclusion of judges is vital, as cybercrime investigations culminate in the courtroom. The four-day program aimed to better equip participants to identify suspicious activities, conduct thorough investigations, and build stronger prosecutions, ensuring the justice system can keep pace with technological advancements in criminal activity.

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With the four days training, participants are now better equipped to identify red flags, conduct diligent investigations and build stronger prosecutions.