The Federal Ministry of Justice, in collaboration with the National Orientation Agency (NOA), on Monday, launched a nationwide campaign to raise public awareness on cybercrime, calling on Nigerians especially young people to stay vigilant and use technology responsibly.

The 2025 Cybercrime Awareness Walk, which kicked off in Abuja, brought together youth volunteers, law enforcement officers, and representatives from civil society under the theme ?Towards a coordinated and informed national response to cybercrime?.

Speaking during the event, the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, Muhammad Abubakar Babadoko, said the campaign was part of a broader effort to strengthen the country?s response to rising cyber-related offences.

?This year?s campaign is important because it builds on the successes of the past,? he said. ?Cybercrime is rampant now. The way technology has made life easy for everyone, criminals are also taking advantage of it. Committing crime today is just a click away.?

Babadoko explained that while prosecution and investigation remain central to the ministry?s work, awareness creation is equally crucial.

?Side by side with our prosecutorial functions, we must sensitize the public to keep away from crimes. In that way, we can bring down the cost of investigation and prosecution,? he added.

According to him, the awareness drive will not be limited to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) but will extend to schools, markets, and communities across the country.

?This is a nationwide initiative. We will go to primary schools, secondary schools, universities, and youth corps camps. The goal is to reach every nook and cranny of Nigeria,? he said.

In his address to participants before the walk began, Babadoko described the exercise as ?a movement of conscience and responsibility.?

?We walk to raise awareness, to educate our communities, and to remind every Nigerian that cybercrime affects us all our economy, our national security, and our daily lives. Enough of scams, extortion, identity theft, and cyberbullying,? he said.

?The digital space is not lawless. Every scam or hacking incident is punishable under the Cybercrime Act. Nigerians must learn to protect their data, report suspicious activities, and use technology responsibly.?

He also urged young Nigerians to channel their creativity into innovation and entrepreneurship rather than online fraud.

?Our youths are among the brightest in the world. Let us use that brilliance to build solutions, not scams,? he added.

Representing the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Barr. Tessy Nnalue, Director of Community Safety, Awareness, and Compliance, reaffirmed the Agency?s commitment to sustaining the campaign through mass sensitization.

?Without technology, we go nowhere. But if our youths use it for cybercrime, ?Yahoo-Yahoo? and the rest, it will diminish what the government is trying to achieve by digitalizing the country,? she said.

Nnalue noted that the NOA would leverage its nationwide presence and communication channels, including radio, television, local languages, and community outreach, to spread the message.

?What we are doing today is not a one-off activity. It will be sustained. Parents must also play their part, ask questions when your children come home with expensive gifts. The love of money is the root of the evil we are suffering now,? she warned. (LEADERSHIP)

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