The Abia State Police Command has commenced a 10-day cybercrime capacity-building workshop aimed at strengthening the ability of its personnel to investigate and respond to increasingly sophisticated digital crimes.
The training, which began on Monday, September 7, 2026, was flagged off by the Commissioner of Police, Abia State Command, CP Wilfred Olutokunbo Afolabi, in collaboration with the Cyber Shield Africa Initiative.
The initiative is designed to strengthen the Command’s Cybercrime Unit and promote more effective intelligence-led policing in response to the changing nature of crime.
Participants include personnel from the Command’s Cybercrime Section, State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), State Intelligence Bureau (SIB) and Violent Crime Response Unit Intelligence (VCRU).
Officers from other security agencies, including the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), are also taking part in the programme.
Speaking at the commencement of the workshop, Afolabi said a review of the Command’s operations had revealed the need to improve its capacity to tackle cyber-related offences.
He identified financial and cybercrimes as major security concerns, particularly in Aba, which he described as a commercial hub where digital security has become as important as physical security.
The Commissioner said the Command was determined to make Abia increasingly difficult for perpetrators of identity theft, impersonation, financial fraud and other forms of cybercrime to operate.
According to him, confronting emerging crimes requires officers to acquire modern investigative skills and techniques, making continuous professional training essential.
He expressed confidence that the workshop would improve the participants’ investigative capabilities and enable them to perform their duties more effectively and professionally.
The CP urged the officers to remain disciplined and committed throughout the training, stressing that inadequate training could expose security personnel, their organisations and members of the public to unnecessary risks.
He also commended the Cyber Shield Africa Initiative for supporting the capacity-building programme.
Afolabi said the overall objective of the initiative was to enhance public safety and strengthen the security architecture of Abia State.
The training is expected to further equip participating officers with relevant skills for investigating and responding to emerging cybercrime threats.
