YENAGOA, June 20, 2025 — The Nigeria Police Force’s new cybercrime hub for the South-South region, located in Bayelsa State, has been completed and is set for formal commissioning in July, according to the Office of the Special Assistant to the President on ICT Development and Digital Innovation.

The state-of-the-art facility, operated under the National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC), will serve as a strategic nerve centre for cybercrime investigation, digital forensics, and ICT-enabled policing across Bayelsa, Rivers, Delta, Edo, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River States.

Commissioner of Police for the NPF-NCCC, Oche Ifeayin, led an inspection of the centre earlier this week, accompanied by Bayelsa State Commissioner of Police, Francis Idu, who also showcased the state’s expanding CCTV surveillance infrastructure.

In a statement released by Presidential aide Tokoni Peter Igoin, the facility is described as “a result of strategic collaboration between government and private sector players,” with no direct funding from the federal government.

Zero Government Funding, Private Sector Support

The centre’s development was supported by private technology partners including PonkebiNG, PalmPay, Easyswap, Opay, and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), who provided financial and technical backing.

“This annexe has been made possible by trusted private partners… with zero government funding,” Igoin said. “The inspection reflects five months of strategic execution since our January 31, 2025, stakeholders’ engagement in Abuja.”

Legal and Policy Mandate

The centre is backed by several national legal frameworks:

• Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, especially Sections 38, 40, and 41, which allow for the establishment of cybercrime centres, the collection of digital evidence, and deployment of surveillance technologies.
• Nigerian Data Protection Act, 2023, ensuring data privacy compliance, especially for emerging tools like the AI-powered Police Checkpoint System that tracks only flagged license plates.
• Police Act, 2020, which authorises the deployment of digital tools for modern policing.

In addition, Igoin highlighted key policy frameworks, such as the National Security Strategy and various Presidential Directives, that provide political will for cybersecurity integration across government agencies.

Wider Goals and Youth Impact

Beyond crime prevention and prosecution, the Bayelsa centre is expected to play a significant role in:

• Digital forensics training for law enforcement
• POS compliance and fraud detection through regulatory intelligence
• AI-powered police checkpoints aimed at reducing road extortion
• Youth empowerment, including business registration via EasyBiz and NYSC digital platforms

“The government’s commitment to national digital transformation and constitutionally sound security practices is underscored by this project,” Igoin said.

Looking Ahead

The July commissioning of the NPF-NCCC annexe in Bayelsa is seen as a major milestone in regional cybercrime readiness, especially as Nigeria’s digital economy expands and financial crimes evolve in complexity.

Security analysts say the centre could become a model for future regional hubs — pairing local law enforcement with fintech stakeholders to combat fraud, hacking, and digital financial crimes in real time.