
The Federal Bureau of Investigation's 2025 Internet Crime Report reveals that Nigeria is among the top 20 countries with the highest number of cybercrime complaints submitted to its Internet Crime Complaint Centre. The report, which highlights global trends in cyber-enabled crimes, recorded a total of 1,008,597 complaints in 2025, with total losses reaching $20.877 billion, a 26% increase from 2024. Cyber-enabled fraud accounted for nearly 85% of these losses, totaling $17.697 billion from 452,868 complaints. The IC3 received complaints from over 200 countries in 2025, with international complaints contributing almost $1.6 billion to the overall losses. Canada led the list with 7,479 complaints, followed by India with 5,879, and Japan with 5,764. Nigeria ranked 14th with 1,219 complaints. The report also indicated a significant rise in complaint volumes from 49,711 in 2001 to over 1 million in 2025, and financial losses surged from $17.8 million to $20.877 billion in the same period. Individuals aged 60 and above experienced the highest losses at $7.7 billion, despite filing fewer complaints than younger age groups. The FBI stated that IC3 acts as a central hub for the public and law enforcement to track and respond to cybercrime threats globally.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Punch Nigeria.
Must ReadThe United States House of Representatives has adopted an amendment, sponsored by Congressman Gregory Steube, to withhold 100% of US assistance to Nigeria. This measure is contingent on Nigeria meeting specific conditions to address violence. The amendment, approved by a voice vote, was added to the fiscal 2027 State Department spending bill, which subsequently passed the House. Congressman Steube stated that American taxpayers should not fund governments that disregard the abduction, torture, and murder of Christians. The original bill proposed withholding 50% of funds until the US Secretary of State certified Nigeria had taken effective steps to prevent violence and hold perpetrators accountable. Steube's amendment increased this to 100% while keeping the certification conditions the same. He argued that Nigeria's government has failed to address a wave of violence and that foreign aid should not reward failure, also citing America's national debt. This measure still requires Senate approval and the President's signature to take effect. The vote follows President Donald Trump redesignating Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern in 2025 and a US missile strike on Nigerian territory, despite a subsequent security partnership between the two nations targeting terrorist groups.
Must ReadThe European Union has mandated that Google share data with other search engines and allow rival AI services access to its Android system. This directive, issued under the EU's Digital Markets Act DMA, aims to foster competition and provide users with more choices. Google is required to begin sharing search data by January 2027, with Android changes for users starting in July 2027. EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen stated that these measures are expected to encourage alternatives to Google Search and its AI services like Gemini, enabling users to choose their preferred AI chatbot via voice commands. Google, however, has expressed concerns, with its head of global affairs Kent Walker stating that the measures introduce "unprecedented risks to user privacy, device security, and national security." He argued that sharing search data could expose private searches to unfamiliar companies without adequate anonymization or user consent. A senior European official countered that the EU has prioritized integrity, security, and privacy, and the decision ensures anonymization of search data. This demand is legally binding but is not a formal probe that could lead to fines. Separately, sources indicate the EU might impose a fine on Google next week in another DMA investigation. The EU has previously fined Google a total of 8.2 billion euros between 2017 and 2019 under different competition rules, and a 2.95 billion euro fine in September last year in an antitrust case.

All Progressives Congress chieftain Farouk Aliyu stated that Christians are more comfortable with the party鈥檚 Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket now than before the 2023 general election. Speaking on Arise Television, Aliyu argued that President Bola Tinubu鈥檚 administration has alleviated fears of religious marginalization. He defended President Tinubu鈥檚 decision to retain Vice President Kashim Shettima as his running mate for the 2027 presidential election, asserting that the APC had gained Nigerians' confidence in the last election. Aliyu noted that the initial decision to field two Muslim candidates in 2023 drew criticism over concerns about Christian marginalization, but he believes this is now history, as no one is being marginalized along religious lines. He added that President Tinubu has governed without religious bias. The APC chieftain expressed satisfaction with retaining Shettima, stating that changing the ticket could create unnecessary political challenges. Aliyu is confident that Nigerians will support the Tinubu-Shettima ticket again in the 2027 presidential election. The APC鈥檚 choice of Tinubu, a Muslim from the South-West, and Shettima, a Muslim from the North-East, for the 2023 election sparked national debate, with Christian groups opposing it. However, the APC defended the decision as based on competence and strategy, not religion, and the ticket ultimately won the 2023 presidential election.