The Federal Government has advocated for internationally harmonised laws on cyber-enabled organised immigration crimes.
The Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, said this during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday in London.
Tunji-Ojo said he made the remark while addressing global leaders during the Border Security Summit on tackling organised immigration crimes.
The summit was hosted by the UK Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer.
Tunji-Ojo said that the proposed laws include common definitions of penalties for online human trafficking and migrants.
They also include exponential agreements on cyber-criminals operating across multiple jurisdictions and the assessment of laws to dismantle financial links that fuel illegal migration.
“Nigeria calls for real-time content moderation to detect and remove recruiting advertisements for human smuggling and trafficking.
“Stronger reporting mechanisms for law enforcement to assess critical data on suspicious accounts.
“AI-driven early warning systems to flag illicit migration-related content before it spreads,” Tunji-Ojo said.
He said that there was need for technology companies to enforce stricter regulations to prevent their platforms from becoming recruitment hubs for human trafficking migrants.
“Big tech companies must be more accountable for the misuse of their platforms by criminal gangs.
“Organised criminal networks are weaponised digital platforms to facilitate irregular migration, human trafficking and other forms of transnational crime.
“Technology has enabled these groups to expand their reach, target vulnerable populations and evade law enforcement agencies, hence the need for international organisations to prioritise digital intelligence sharing,” he said.
The minister added that no country was immune to the threats posed by online criminal recruitment as the borderless nature of digital crime requires a coordinated international response.
Tunji-Ojo said that, under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, Nigeria was taking decisive actions to curb online criminal activities leading to migration and organised crime.
He said that Nigeria recognised the growing interconnection between survivor-included crime and global migration threats, requiring a proactive, intelligence-driven and collaborative approach.
“Security agencies, including the Nigerian Immigration Service and the Nigerian Police Force are integrating advanced cyber tools to detect, disrupt and dismantle digital recruitment networks.
“The Cybercrime Prohibition Prevention Act, alongside a Trafficking in Persons Prohibition Enforcement and Registration Act, provides a strong legal foundation to prosecute those exploiting digital platforms for illicit migration schemes,” he said.
He added that Nigeria was investing in cyber-forensic training for immigration security agencies to track, investigate and neutralise digital recruitment networks.
“We are expanding public awareness campaigns to educate citizens especially young people on the dangers of online recruitment into irregular migration and trafficking.
“Collaboration with community leaders, religious institutions and civil society will enhance grassroots efforts in countering digital exploitation.
“Government must commit to a global framework for digital accountability, ensuring that criminal syndicates do not exploit the gaps in online governance,” Tunji-Ojo said.
NAN
