The Minister of State for Police Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, announced plans to invite authors Dr. Tombari Sibe and Prof. Christian Kaunert to join the Federal Government’s Committee on National Policing Policy.
This invitation comes in the wake of the duo’s recent publication, “Cybercrime, Digital Forensic Readiness, and Financial Crime Investigation in Nigeria”.
Dr. Sibe, a lecturer in the Department of Computer Engineering at Rivers State University, is recognized as a cybersecurity and digital forensic expert with over two decades of experience in Information Technology consulting.
Prof. Kaunert serves as a professor of International Security at Dublin City University in Ireland.
During the book launch, where Sulaiman-Ibrahim was represented by his Senior Technical Adviser on Policy and Strategy, Mike Imafidor, the minister emphasized the importance of including experts like Sibe and Kaunert in the newly forming committee.
Their expertise is expected to contribute significantly to developing cybersecurity frameworks for the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
“The committee is currently being formed with a focus on creating a national policing policy,” the minister stated.
“We will extend an invitation to Dr. Sibe and Professor Kaunert, particularly to contribute to the section concerning cybersecurity and technology adoption within the NPF.
Our aim is to establish a framework for technology integration that ensures interoperability and avoids isolated systems,” the minister continued.
Sibe confirmed the invitation in a statement released from Port Harcourt on Tuesday.
He noted that the book addresses Nigeria’s unique challenges and proposes a comprehensive plan for forensic readiness to enhance the country’s cybersecurity infrastructure.
“Typically, we assess human forensic capabilities mainly from a budgetary viewpoint considering how much we can allocate for this or that registry.
However, we need to adopt a long-term perspective on building financial and operational readiness,” Sibe explained.
“A key outcome of this study is to create a clear roadmap for forensic readiness and identify gaps in knowledge and training needs,” Sibe continued.
The book also explores topics such as cryptocurrency, artificial intelligence, and blockchain technology, highlighting both the challenges and opportunities these innovations present.
Reflecting on the motivation behind their work, Sibe remarked, “Nigeria has seen a troubling rise in cybercrime incidents.
Beyond the financial losses for victims, our nation also suffers reputational damage as a result.”
