The cybercrime centre of the Nigeria Police Force known as NPF-NCCC in Bayelsa State has been completed and set for inauguration in July, according to the Office of the Special Assistant to the President on ICT Development and Digital Innovation.
The Commissioner of Police, National Cybercrime Centre, Abuja, Oche Ifeayin, paid an inspection visit to the centre, ahead of the inauguration.
Ifeayin, on Monday, inspected the facility, which is expected to serve the cybercrime and digital forensics needs of Bayelsa, Rivers, Delta, Edo, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River states.
A statement by the Special Assistant to the President on ICT Development and Digital Innovation, Tokoni Peter Igoin, made available to Punch Metro on Tuesday, said the centre “is a result of strategic collaboration between government and private sector players.”
The Commissioner of Police, Bayelsa State Command, Francis Idu, led Ifeayin on a tour of the state’s CCTV surveillance infrastructure, showing real-time digital inclusion efforts through digital surveillance systems deployed across critical areas of Bayelsa State.
Igoin said the “annexe and its connected innovations form part of a broader legal and national strategy to secure Nigeria’s digital space, supported by the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, which provides the legal mandate for the establishment of cybercrime centres, digital surveillance, and ICT-enabled policing solutions.”
He said the legal and policy backing includes Section 41 of the Cybercrimes Act, 2015, which authorises the establishment of a Cybercrime Advisory Council and Cybercrime Centres for coordination, investigation, and prosecution of digital crimes.
According to him, “Sections 38 and 40 support digital evidence gathering and surveillance technologies as tools for law enforcement.”
Another legal backing is the Nigerian Data Protection Act, 2023 with AI-powered Police Checkpoint System that is designed with strict adherence to privacy protocols to process only flagged plate numbers and ensure data minimisation, in compliance with national data protection laws.
He said the Police Act, 2020 also empowers the Nigerian Police Force to deploy modern technology, including digital checkpoints, surveillance, and forensic tools, to enhance policing efficiency and protect lives and property.
On policy backing for the project, Igoin mentioned the National Security Strategy and Presidential Directives which “support inter-agency digital security integration, cybercrime coordination, and digital intelligence capabilities at both federal and zonal levels.”
Igoin said the “inspection reflects five months of strategic execution since our January 31, 2025, stakeholders’ engagement at the Old Sheraton Hotel, Abuja.
“With zero government funding, the annexe has been made possible by trusted private partners, including PonkebiNG, PalmPay, Easyswap, Opay, and funding support from the Nigerian Communications Commission.”
He said his office remained committed to deploying innovative, law-compliant systems to enhance cybercrime detection and prosecution and provide digital forensics training and equipment to law enforcement and Fintech infrastructure through regulatory intelligence.
Igoin said his office will also help to reduce road extortion via AI-powered checkpoints, enable youth entrepreneurship through EasyBiz CAC registration on NYSC portals and secure financial transactions via POS device registration compliance.
He stated: “As we move towards the commissioning of the Annex in July 2025, this inspection confirms the government’s commitment to digital transformation in national security while upholding constitutional rights and legal integrity.”
