The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, has warned Nigerians against cybercrime-related offences, including unauthorised access to other people’s phones and social media accounts, online impersonation, cyberbullying and the unlawful sharing of private images.

Disu gave the warning while declaring open the 2026 Cybersecurity Awareness Campaign organised by the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) in Abuja, with the theme, “Towards a Resilient Cyberspace: Think Before You Click.”

The IGP, who was represented by a senior police officer at the event, said Nigeria’s growing dependence on digital technology had created opportunities for economic growth and improved public services but had also exposed citizens, businesses and institutions to fraud, identity theft, data breaches, extortion and cyber-enabled financial crimes.

He stressed that protecting the country’s security must extend beyond physical spaces to digital networks, platforms and systems that support national activities.

According to him, the Police must adopt a proactive and intelligence-led approach to cybersecurity by identifying warning signs, assessing vulnerabilities and disrupting criminal activities before they escalate.

“We must move from incident response to threat anticipation, from reactive investigation to proactive disruption, and from analysing yesterday’s attack to preparing for tomorrow’s attack,” Disu said.

He emphasised the importance of intelligence gathering, threat analysis, open-source intelligence, digital forensics and timely information sharing in strengthening the country’s response to cybercrime.

The IGP described personnel of the NPF-NCCC as guardians of Nigeria’s digital frontiers, noting that their responsibilities required continuous learning, technical competence, integrity and discipline.

He added that technology alone could not guarantee cybersecurity without skilled personnel, sound procedures, accountability and public trust.

Disu also called for stronger collaboration among government institutions, law enforcement agencies, regulators, financial institutions, telecommunications companies, technology providers, educators, civil society organisations and the media.

“No single institution can secure Nigeria’s digital environment. It requires a whole-of-society and an all-of-cybersecurity ecosystem approach,” he said.

The police chief also warned financial institutions, fintech companies, payment service providers and telecommunications operators against insider threats, urging them to strengthen internal controls, employee screening, transaction monitoring, internal audits and independent oversight.

He explained that cyber-enabled financial crimes could result from compromised credentials, abuse of access privileges, negligence, malicious conduct or weak supervision.

“Firewalls and encryption are essential, but they cannot replace strong internal control,” he said, assuring that the NPF-NCCC would continue to work with regulators and financial intelligence agencies to support the lawful detection and investigation of cyber-enabled financial crimes.

Turning to public safety online, Disu urged Nigerians to avoid suspicious links, protect their passwords and one-time passwords, activate multi-factor authentication and report suspicious activities promptly.

“Think before you click. If you don’t know the person who sent you the message, you can ignore it. If you click, anything could happen. You can get a virus, and your account can be wiped out,” he warned.

He advised Nigerians against using easily guessed passwords, such as their dates of birth or the names of their children, and urged them to verify payment instructions independently before transferring money.

The IGP further cautioned against unauthorised access to another person’s phone, WhatsApp, email or social media accounts, stressing that such conduct could constitute an offence under applicable cybercrime laws.

He also warned against creating fake accounts in other people’s names or using their photographs without authorisation, sending threatening or abusive messages, cyberstalking, cyberbullying and knowingly spreading false information capable of causing panic or endangering lives.

Disu specifically cautioned Nigerians against sharing other people’s nude photographs or private videos, including as revenge or for entertainment, noting that offences involving children were particularly serious.

He also warned against lending bank accounts or SIM cards to individuals to receive suspicious funds, explaining that account holders could face investigation if their accounts were used to facilitate fraudulent transactions.

“Don’t lend anybody your bank account. If fraud passes through it, you may answer as an accomplice,” he said.

The IGP further condemned the falsification of payment alerts and receipts, as well as the unlawful sale or distribution of other people’s BVNs, National Identification Numbers and bank card details.

He reminded Nigerians that ignorance of the law was not an excuse, warning that individuals who assist, encourage or conspire with cybercriminals could also face prosecution and applicable penalties.

Addressing parents and educators, Disu urged them to make online safety an essential life skill for children and young people, while calling on businesses to treat cybersecurity as a leadership responsibility rather than leaving it solely to information technology departments.

He also appealed to Nigerian youths to channel their digital skills into legitimate ventures, including cybersecurity, software development and technology entrepreneurship.

“To Nigerian youth, your digital skills are our national asset. Do not let pressure for quick wealth mortgage your future. Cybercrime can cost you your freedom, your reputation and peace of mind. Choose creativity over criminality and integrity over shortcuts,” he said.

The IGP encouraged victims of fraud, cyberbullying, sextortion and attempts to recruit them into cybercrime to seek assistance and report incidents to the appropriate authorities.

He said a resilient cyberspace was one in which threats were anticipated, vulnerabilities reduced, incidents detected early, responses coordinated and recovery strengthened.

Disu commended the NPF-NCCC and other stakeholders for their efforts towards improving cybersecurity awareness, urging participants to take the campaign’s message to their communities and workplaces.

He called on Nigerians to embrace responsible digital behaviour and collective action in building a safer and more resilient cyberspace.

The IGP subsequently declared the 2026 Cybersecurity Awareness Campaign of the NPF-NCCC open.