Adjunct Professor at the School of Law, Mohammed L. Ahmadu has published a book, Cybercrimes in Nigeria; Theory, Law, and Practice.
Prof Ahmadu currently serves as the Special Assistant to Nigeria’s President on Research and Special Duties. The extensive research which culminated in this book was undertaken while he served as Dean of Law at the American University of Nigeria, School of Law.
The precocious growth of digital technology has no doubt positively influenced various spheres of life. However, great innovations sometimes leave a chasm deep enough for rogue elements to exploit. This is the case with cybercrime in Nigeria. Cyber-terrorism; cyber-bullying; cyber-stalking; cyber-xenophobia and cyber-squatting are just a few of numerous unique offenses that can only be committed electronically and in virtual reality. The challenge now is for conventional law enforcement to revise strategies and upgrade digital investigative and evidence-gathering techniques to address the digital sphere in which cybercrimes are committed.
That is why this book is timely. With rapid developments in cyberspace across the world, opportunists have taking advantage of advancements in information technology to create a new generation of crimes hitherto unknown in legal parlance. Professor Ahmadu’s book sets out the context for understanding the interface between the legal principles regulating cybercrimes and the digital technology driving the internet. The book also offers international snippets on cybercrimes, as well as a blurb on the Islamic legal perspective. It examines the theoretical, practical, and specific incidence of cybercrime by focusing on the Cybercrimes Act (Prevention, Prohibition Etc.,) Act 2015.
The foreword to the book was written by the current Director-General, Nigerian Law School, Professor Isa H. Chiroma, SAN. The 230-page book was published by University Press Limited in the last quarter of 2020 with ISBN 978-978-55796-5-9 . Taken as a whole, the book is a new addition to the existing body of knowledge on cybercrimes in Nigeria. It will no doubt be an interesting read for lawyers in the Bar and Bench, students, the academia, and the general public.
Reported by the Office of Communications