Experts Want NASS To Expedite Passage Of Cybercrime Bill

The President, Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Mr Lanre Ajayi, has urged the National Assembly to expedite action on the passage of  the Cybercrime Bill 2013 into law.

Ajayi  who made the call recently in an interview with newsmen in Lagos, said the fate of e-commerce in Nigeria rested on the passage of the bill, adding that it would not thrive if cyber security was not ensured.

“Basically, it is expected that the bill will criminalise ill activities on the Internet.

“Right now, we are not able to punish ill behaviours on the Internet like spamming, phishing and identity theft, just to mention a few.

“Nobody will want to transact business online if there are no regulations safeguarding such transactions.’’

The Federal Executive Council on Aug. 29 approved a memo brought by the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke, for the contents of the Cybercrime Bill 2013.

The government also approved the transmission of the bill to the National Assembly for enactment into law.

Mr Bayo Banjo, the President of the Nigeria Internet Group (NIG) told The Tide correspondent  in a separate interview that government should be the major advocate of ensuring the passage of the Cybercrime Bill 2013.

He said government’s advocacy should be “determined and vicious” until its goals of passage of the cybercrime law were met.

The NIG boss said a cybercrime law was not only very necessary but “long overdue.’’

He added that if the bill was passed into law, it would lay a foundation for which Internet users in Nigeria could be respected.

“You are considered a very corrupt country when the citizens do corrupt things and there is no recourse.

“Actually, over 60 per cent of Internet fraud is committed in the United States of America, but Nigeria is considered more corrupt than America because there is no legislation to discourage such crimes.’’

Banjo said government needed the political will to not only make laws but also to enforce them, adding that the implementation was the missing ingredient in legislation in Nigeria.

Mr Emmanuel Ekwuem, the Chief Executive Officer of Teledom Group, a broadband infrastructure provider, also stressed the need for speedy passage of the bill into law.

He said “our lawmakers and other people in general, have yet to appreciate or understand the deep importance of cyber security law.

“We need an analogy of physical law enforcement in cyberspace. Without a cybercrime law, government can be compromised, among other things.

“Victory in physical war is determined by victory in cyberspace, so our lawmakers should expedite action on the Cybercrime Bill 2013.’’