Odita Sunday 
Police Urge Nigerians to Verify Links, Report Cybercrime as NPF-NCCC Launches 2026 Awareness Campaign
By Odita Sunday
The Nigeria Police Force has urged Nigerians to adopt responsible online practices, verify suspicious messages and report cybercrime promptly to prevent fraud, identity theft and other digital offences.
The Director of the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC), Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) Akaninyene Ezima, gave the advice at the 2026 Cybersecurity Awareness Campaign organised by the Centre in Abuja.
The campaign, themed *“Towards a Resilient Cyberspace: Think Before You Click,”* focused on strengthening public awareness, promoting responsible digital behaviour and building collective resistance against cybercrime.
Ezima said a single careless click on a suspicious link, an unverified message or a fraudulent investment offer could expose individuals to financial losses, identity theft, privacy violations and other security risks.
He noted that Nigeria’s digital transformation had created opportunities in commerce, education, governance, innovation and social connectivity, but warned that cybercriminals were becoming increasingly sophisticated in exploiting public trust, human emotions and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI).
According to him, cybersecurity should no longer be considered the exclusive responsibility of technical experts and law enforcement agencies, but a shared obligation requiring public awareness, vigilance and collective action.
“The challenge is not simply to respond to cybercrimes after they occur, but to build a society that is better informed, better prepared and more resilient against digital threats,” he said.
The police chief said the campaign was designed to move cybersecurity awareness from technical discussions to everyday practice and establish a national culture of responsible digital conduct.
Ezima said the NPF, under the leadership of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, remained committed to strengthening its capacity to prevent, detect, investigate and disrupt cybercrime through professional training, improved technical capabilities, intelligence sharing and collaboration with local and international partners.
He described the NPF-NCCC as a critical platform for coordinating responses to cyber-enabled offences and strengthening public confidence in Nigeria’s digital environment.
According to him, the Force is pursuing a proactive and intelligence-led policing model that identifies threats early, responds swiftly to incidents and protects citizens before significant harm occurs.
He said the adoption of digital tools, data analytics, modern investigative techniques and secure information systems would improve operational efficiency, accountability and service delivery.
On the growing role of artificial intelligence in law enforcement, Ezima said AI-enabled tools could assist investigators in analysing large volumes of digital evidence, identifying suspicious patterns, detecting emerging fraud trends and improving intelligence assessments.
He, however, stressed that the deployment of such technologies must be guided by the law, human oversight, transparency, data protection and respect for fundamental human rights.
“Artificial intelligence must support professional police judgment, not replace it,” he said.
Ezima also warned that criminal elements were exploiting AI to create deepfakes, synthetic identities, automated scams and sophisticated impersonation schemes to defraud unsuspecting citizens and undermine public trust.
He said an effective response required continuous training, responsible deployment of emerging technologies and stronger partnerships between the public and private sectors.
The AIG urged Nigerians to make the principle of “Think Before You Click” a daily habit by verifying suspicious messages, protecting their passwords, personal identification numbers (PINs) and one-time passwords (OTPs), and using strong, unique passwords alongside multi-factor authentication.
He also advised citizens to avoid unfamiliar links and verify requests for money or sensitive information through trusted channels.
Ezima called on parents, teachers, employers and community leaders to promote responsible digital behaviour, particularly among young people.
He further urged financial institutions, telecommunications companies, technology firms and cybersecurity professionals to strengthen collaboration, share intelligence promptly and improve coordinated incident reporting.
According to him, cybercriminals operate across institutional and national boundaries, making sustained cooperation essential to tackling the threat.
The NPF-NCCC director also encouraged victims of cybercrime to report incidents promptly to the appropriate law enforcement authorities, warning that shame and fear should not prevent victims from seeking assistance.
He particularly raised concerns over sextortion, noting that online exploitation had, in some cases, contributed to victims taking their own lives.
He said early reporting could help preserve digital evidence, support investigations and prevent further victimisation.
Ezima also cautioned against sharing unverified messages, images and sensational claims, which he said could damage reputations, deepen social divisions and threaten public safety.
On the legal implications of online misconduct, he drew attention to Section 24(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, as amended in 2024, which addresses cyberstalking and related offences involving electronic communications.
He warned that violations of applicable provisions of the law could attract fines, imprisonment or other penalties, depending on the offence and circumstances.
The police chief urged young Nigerians to resist the temptation of quick money, online pressure and criminal recruitment, encouraging them instead to channel their digital skills into cybersecurity, ethical technology, entrepreneurship and innovation.
“You are not merely users of digital technology; you are its creators, innovators and future custodians,” he said, adding that Nigeria needed the creativity of its young people to build a safer and more prosperous digital economy.
Ezima expressed appreciation to IGP Disu for supporting the Centre, particularly in the renewal of licences and technological tools and solutions required for its operations.
He also commended the Inspector-General for facilitating partnerships with development partners, whose support, he said, was contributing to the Centre’s activities.
The AIG thanked participants and stakeholders for their commitment to strengthening national cybersecurity, expressing hope that the campaign would translate into safer online practices, stronger institutional preparedness and greater public confidence in efforts to combat cybercrime.
He reaffirmed the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force, through the NPF-NCCC, to working with stakeholders to make Nigeria’s cyberspace safer and more resilient for citizens, businesses and future generations.
He concluded with a message to Nigerians: “Think before you click. Verify before you share. Report before others become victims.”
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