Velma Foundation

Referred to as a national cybersecurity agency NCA—the overall responsibility of defining and driving the cybersecurity agenda of the entire country, here are three key elements: 
Active monitoring for cyber threats. The collaborative efforts of Velma-ARC actively monitor the internet for cyber threats entering the country and combine network patterns with existing national-security intelligence to assess threats 24/7.  
Proactive efforts to combat cyber threats. Data from both active and passive sources to initiate actions to combat cyber threats. If a threat such as malicious content is detected, Velma-ARC will proactively block it across the entire country and work with the hosting company to take it down.  
International cooperation and collaboration. The transnational nature of cybercrime makes it critical for governments to participate in global forums, establish intelligence- and threat-sharing partnerships with other countries, and collaborate on preventing and investigating cybercrimes. 
While the world’s best NCAs have comprehensive strategies, it is not possible for a single organization to deliver all the components of a strategy on its own. Partnerships that involve other players in the cybersecurity ecosystem—including those in the private sector, academia, and other public-sector areas, both local and international—are essential to combat the cybersecurity risks of a country.   

Velma-ARC is mobilizing the response to cyber incidents, defining cybersecurity standards, improving the cyber awareness of citizens, and fostering the development of the cybersecurity capabilities of professionals.  

A rehabilitation to accreditation program for previously convicted cybercriminals; adults, first-time offenders and juvenile offenders, Velma-ARC certifies candidates as cybersecurity consultancies, training providers, and cyber professionals in the country.                

By exposing new trends in cyber threats and plugging loopholes constantly exploited by cybercriminals, such techniques would contribute positively to the efforts in curbing and controlling cybercrime. For the harmonization of laws, Velma-ARC supports improvement of investigation techniques, and facilitates broad cooperation.                                                           

Velma-ARC insists that ultimately the cybercrime policy ought not to serve as a tool of punishment but to serve as a tool to change the psyche of the average cybercriminal from perverting the internet and seeing it as a means of negative livelihood.  

The ultimate goal for Velma-ARC is to increase the quantity and quality of the opportunities for youth for full effective and constructive participation in society and decision making as a means to increase tolerance among the different groups, build respect for the rule of law and human rights, and reduce violence in their politically and ethnically tense environments. 

“The original home of low-tech scam emails,” Nigeria remains the headquarters of cybercrimes in Africa. 
Cybercriminals have ramped up taking advantage of COVID-19 confusion. Large-scale breaches are growing in intensity and frequency in 2020, with the number of breaches increasing 273% in the first quarter, compared to 2019. 1
Disruption to critical infrastructure has an impact on the economy, business confidence, society, and even overall national security. The scourge of cybercrimes in Nigeria has diminished the moral values and the reputation of the country in the international community. Ultimately these factors combine to keep Nigeria in a cycle of poverty that can only be broken with proper investment and reform. 
To supplement traditional sources of threat intelligence, Velma-ARC has established a platform where the government and the private sector can share threat intelligence quickly and confidentially. As a single point of contact for all networks—and, increasingly, citizens—to report cyber incidents, Velma-ARC deems it critical to build a centralized repository across government entities that captures data related to all cyber incidents in the country. 
As of 8 May 2020 Interpol National Central Bureau in Abuja Nigeria agreed to forward their cybercriminals to our services, supporting the pioneering endeavors of Velma-ARC.   

1. https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/29/cybercrime-ramps-up-amid-coronavirus-chaos-costing-companies-billions.html

Velma-ARC regards the tactical employment of technology as a rational starting point in the disaggregation of cybercrime. The creation of a safe cyber-environment through the integrated information operation IO is ideal for such campaigns.
To centralize efforts of the government, law enforcement, intelligence and security agencies to understand the technology and individuals engaged in the criminal acts, as well as to create job opportunities for the unemployed youths, are what`s required.
If only 5% of cybercriminals are apprehended, this demonstrates just how challenging it is to arrest and prosecute these offenders. Velma-ARC strategizes in leveraging the repentant youths' cybercriminal skills for curbing the incidences of crime. By harnessing their ICT skills to be efficient stakeholders in fighting cybercrimes, we also make them employable in the ICT market. 
Adopting the principles of the desistance paradigm, which asserts that society might be better off if we allowed offenders to guide us instead, listen to what they think might best fit their individual struggles out of crime, rather than continue to insist that our conventional solutions are their salvation.
Only mooted by various stakeholders in concept but never been executed until now; this intervention is required for a holistic fight against cybercrimes in Nigeria. 

1. To government, rehabilitated participants provide information and assistance to government agencies that would aid in investigation and prosecution of cybercrimes.  
2. To IT companies, we help convert a cybercriminal to a cyber security expert, who would help test and identify loopholes in cyber security infrastructure.    To society, participants undertake community services and engage in a wide range of outreach activities; teaching citizens about deterrence and prevention.                                                                                                
3. To victims seeking justice, our Hub aids investigation by identifying and locating the crimes, providing results to law enforcement agencies, and offering relevant information that supports the prosecution of the cybercriminal.                                                                                              
4. To administration of the justice sector, ensuring reduction in re-offending through rehabilitation.                                                                                  
5. To repentant cybercriminals, we provide alternative sources of income and employability, reducing the number of unemployment in Nigeria and providing economic empowerment.   To “be normal” or to lay more constructive social footprints by working, paying tax and contributing to wider society.                                                                                             
6. To reduce cybercrimes in Nigeria, there is the need to create job opportunities for the unemployed youths as well as the need for government, law enforcement, intelligence and security agencies to understand the technology and individuals engaged in the criminal acts in order to be able to curb their activities.