EFCC, ROLAC to Host  National Summit on Cybercrime

By: Michael Mike

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will join forces with the EU-funded Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC-Phase II) Programme of the International Institute of Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) to host a National Summit on Cybercrime Prevention on Tuesday, October 22, 2024.

The summit, themed “Alternative to Cybercrimes: Optimising Cyber Skills for National Development,” aims to raise awareness about the dangers of cybercrime and its impact on Nigeria’s economy, financial systems, and citizen safety.

This was contained in a media advisory made available yesterday by the Communications Officer, ROLAC II, International IDEA, Mr. Murkthar Suleiman.

According to the statement, the event will also mark the launch of the EFCC’s 24/7 Cybercrime Rapid Response Centre (E-CR2C), a multi-agency initiative designed to tackle cybercrime threats and incidents in the country. The E-CR2C will serve as a one-stop hub for receiving, investigating, and enforcing court orders against suspected cybercrime activities.

“The summit and E-CR2C launch are crucial anti-corruption measures to address emerging digital challenges and strengthen anti-corruption reforms in Nigeria. The Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC) Programme Phase II, funded by the European Union and implemented by International IDEA, supports the EFCC’s efforts,” the statement noted.

“This summit will, therefore, sensitise the citizenry on cybercrime, its negative impacts, and measures for curbing and preventing it. There will, therefore, be an essay competition for select school students on the negative impact of cybercrime followed by the unveiling of a digital response centre where citizens can report cybercrime,” it added.

Key Objectives of the Summit are to raise awareness by educating the citizens, especially youths and parents, about the risks and consequences of cybercrime. It also aims to prevent cybercrime by promoting alternative uses of cyber skills for national development and enhance the justice sector by consolidating reforms in the justice and anti-corruption sectors.

The Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC) Programme Phase II, is funded by the European Union and implemented by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) in Nigeria. The RoLAC II Programme aims to enhance the performance, quality, and oversight of the criminal justice system and justice service delivery in Nigeria, promoting transparency, accountability, and effectiveness within the justice sector. Building on the achievements of the previous RoLAC I Programme, RoLAC II aligns with the objectives of the European Union’s Multi-Annual Indicative Programme (MIP) for  Nigeria 2022-2027.   Specific objectives of the programme include further consolidating key reforms in the justice and anti-corruption sectors, reducing gender-based violence, and promoting respect for human rights, especially of persons with disability and other marginalised persons in society. The ultimate objective here is the consolidation of the rule of law and anti-corruption reforms in Nigeria. 

International IDEA, the implementer of the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC) Programme Phase II, is a 35-member State Inter-Governmental Organisation established in 1995 as a global think-tank committed to supporting sustainable democracy worldwide and the development of democratic institutions and culture.

EFCC, ROLAC to Host  National Summit on Cybercrime

Dabiri-Erewa stresses importance of collaboration between the Federal Government and its diaspora for national development

By: Abdul Balogun

Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) has called for more strategic collaboration and engagement between the Federal government of Nigeria and its citizens both at home and in the diaspora for national development.

Dabiri-Erewa made the appeal while delivering the 12th Convocation lecture of Afe Babalola University, (ABUAD) in Ado-Ekiti.

In the lecture entitled: ” Diaspora Engagements For National Development”, she said such partnership could come, either as individuals, or as groups, through any of the numerous programmes of government to complement its efforts in attaining sustainable development.

“It would not be easy but we will go far and fast if we all unite with a single purpose to develop Nigeria.

“Nigerians, both at home and in the diaspora must join hands to develop Nigeria, as no foreigner will do this for us”, she said.

She expressed optimism that the global exposure of Nigerians in the diaspora can be leveraged as a catalyst for national development, which is achievable under the mandate set up for NIDCOM to actualise.

The NIDCOM boss encouraged Nigerians abroad to work with Nigerians at home, as some of the very best migrants in the world and make a difference just as India , China, Singapore tapped into their diaspora skills and talent for national development.

With the vantage position ABUAD has attained as the best private university in Nigeria and beyond, she said that the University can collaborate, by implementing staff and student exchange programmes, through collaborative research, that address global challenges and sabbaticals to Nigerian diaspora lecturers.

Apprently impressed by the world standard facilities on ABUAD, she commended Aare Afe Babalola, SAN for his commitment to the advancement of education and other areas of human development in Nigeria, saying that the university has added positive impacts to the country and the world after visiting some of the facilities on the campus.

Speaking in the same vein, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN) and Founder/ Chancellor of ABUAD, said Nigerians belong to all the citizens and such must be proud of it as God has endowed it with huge human and materiel resources.

The legal luminary and elder statesman wonder why some Nigerians, especially the youths, are still contemplating of traveling out without a mission and focus as Nigeria is blessed with both human and natural resources capable of making it a great country.

He maintained that the university in the last 15 years of its existence has impacted on the nation’s education and health sectors, which has made local and international organisations to rate ABUAD as the best in Nigeria and the world.

Dabiri-Erewa stresses importance of collaboration between the Federal Government and its diaspora for national development

Task Force to Ensure Equitable Gender Representation in Politics Inaugurated

By: Michael Mike

Women have taken a big step toward ensuring equatable gender political representation in politics in the country by inaugurating a Task Team for implementation of Charter of Demands by Nigerian Women for political parties.

The Task Force was inaugurated by the UN Women in collaboration with Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC).

Speaking at the inauguration at the weekend in Abuja, the UN Women Country Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ms. Beatrice Eyong expressed optimism that the setting up of the Task Team would ensure that women are well represented in the political leadership.

Eyong who was represented at the occasion by the Programme Officer, Peacebuilding and Prevention, Susan Agada, said: “Nigeria faces significant challenges in achieving gender equality in political representation, with women being under-represented in political structures despite the country’s National Gender Policy and commitments to international agreements.”

She added that: “To address this, a high-level dialogue in September 2023 led to the endorsement of the Nigerian Women Demand Charter by all 18 political parties, aimed at increasing women’s political participation.

“The Task Team will monitor the implementation of these commitments, validate its Terms of Reference, and draft an action plan in collaboration with UN Women and key partners, advancing efforts toward gender equality in politics ahead of the 2027 elections.”

Eyong noted that UN Women was committed to ensuring gender equality and women’s empowerment as well as promoting equal representation of women in the political space.

She congratulated key stakeholders who have been working tirelessly and advocating equal representation and participation of women in politics.

In her remarks, Global Affairs Canada, Melissa Camaganacan, underscored the need for equal representation of women in political leadership and decision-making process.

Camaganacan stated that research has shown that a country’s overall progress and perfomance would improve significantly where there is equal representation of women in leadership.

She noted that increased representation of women in political participation and leadership would definitely impact positively on the Gross Domestic Product(GDP) of such country.

On his part, the National Commissioner and Chairman, Outreach and Partnership Committee, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Kunle Ajayi, said the Task Team would not just be an oversight body but also would play crucial role in ensuring that the commitments reached are translated into action.

Ayayi, represented by Director of Gender Affairs, INEC, affirmed that women possess the power to change the narrative in the political space, adding that nations with equitable representation of women achieve socio-economic and political development faster.

In his address, the Chairman of IPAC, Mr. Yusuf Dantalle,, observed that women and youth constitute majority of voters, adding that they should use their numerical strength to get into positions of leadership at all levels.

Dantalle, who identified cultural barriers, discriminatory laws as some of the impediments confronting women’s yearnings and aspirations in political leadership, however called for inclusivity, gender equality and women’s empowerment to overcome these challenges.

He charged the Task Team to work assiduously to make their impact felt, urging them to take the task as national assignment.

One of the facilitators at the event, Prof. Joy Ezeilo, explained that The Charter reflects the yearnings and aspirations of women in Nigeria, particularly female politicians, to enjoy their human rights and equal representation as members of various political parties in Nigeria.

Ezeilo listed the demand of women as encapsulated in the Charter, which include political will and commitment to gender equality and women’s empowerment; improve women’s participation in politics and decision-making as well as demonstration of principled transformational leadership.

Task Force to Ensure Equitable Gender Representation in Politics Inaugurated