The Federal Government of Nigeria has urged the international community to establish harmonized laws targeting cyber-enabled organized immigration crimes.
Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, emphasized this during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in London.
His remarks followed his address to world leaders at the Border Security Summit, an event hosted by UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, focused on tackling immigration-related crimes.
Tunji-Ojo outlined Nigeria’s proposal for international legal frameworks that define penalties for cyber-assisted human trafficking and unauthorized migration.
He also highlighted the need for global cooperation in tracking cyber-criminal networks operating across multiple jurisdictions and dismantling the financial structures that sustain illegal migration.
“Nigeria calls for real-time content moderation to detect and remove recruiting advertisements for human smuggling and trafficking,” he said.
He further proposed “stronger reporting mechanisms for law enforcement to assess critical data on suspicious accounts” and “AI-driven early warning systems to flag illicit migration-related content before it spreads.”
Holding Tech Giants Accountable
The minister stressed the necessity for technology companies to implement stricter regulations, preventing their platforms from becoming hubs for human trafficking and migrant exploitation.
“Big tech companies must be more accountable for the misuse of their platforms by criminal gangs,” he said.
He warned that criminal networks are increasingly using digital tools to facilitate irregular migration and human trafficking, leveraging technology to evade authorities.
“Organised criminal networks are weaponised digital platforms to facilitate irregular migration, human trafficking and other forms of transnational crime,” he stated.
Acknowledging the transnational nature of cybercrime, Tunji-Ojo emphasized the need for stronger international cooperation in intelligence sharing.
Highlighting the Nigerian government’s proactive measures under President Bola Tinubu, the minister said the country was intensifying efforts to combat online criminal activities linked to migration and organized crime.
He noted that “security agencies, including the Nigerian Immigration Service and the Nigerian Police Force, are integrating advanced cyber tools to detect, disrupt, and dismantle digital recruitment networks.”
Tunji-Ojo pointed to Nigeria’s existing legal frameworks, such as the Cybercrime Prohibition Prevention Act and the Trafficking in Persons Prohibition Enforcement and Registration Act, as essential tools in prosecuting digital migration syndicates.
Furthermore, he revealed that the country is bolstering cyber-forensic training for immigration and security personnel to track, investigate, and neutralize online recruitment schemes.
“We are expanding public awareness campaigns to educate citizens, especially young people, on the dangers of online recruitment into irregular migration and trafficking,” he said.
Additionally, Nigeria is collaborating with religious groups, community leaders, and civil society organizations to strengthen grassroots efforts in preventing digital exploitation.
“Government must commit to a global framework for digital accountability, ensuring that criminal syndicates do not exploit the gaps in online governance,” Tunji-Ojo noted.
