The National Information Technology Development Agency has expressed concern that the indictment of several Nigerians for cybercrimes in the United States can frustrate the growth of Nigerian information and technology start-ups.

Eighty suspects, mostly Nigerians, were named in a list of Internet fraudsters released by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Already, some of the suspects have been arrested in raids carried out in Nigeria and the US.

In a statement on Thursday, NITDA expressed concerns that innocent Nigerians could be made to suffer due to what it described as ‘knee-jerk’ reactions trailing the development.

The agency also responded to a recent report that a foreign-owned IT firm in the country closed shop after accusing its Nigerian employees of lack of integrity.

Acting Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa, said Nigerian IT companies might henceforth find it difficult to attract investments that they required to sustain innovation.

Inuwa said, “The attention of the National Information Technology Agency has been drawn to reports in international media indicting scores of Nigerians for cybercrimes in the United States.

“We also note a recent publication of a foreign-owned software company hitherto operating in Nigeria indicting its Nigerian employees for lack of integrity and duplicity.

“NITDA is concerned that knee-jerk reactions following these allegations may lead to poor treatment of Nigerians living outside Nigeria or denial of certain financial services that may hamper economic growth or frustrate investments in Nigerian companies, especially start-ups who need investments to sustain innovation.

“It is grossly unfair to taint an entire nation with a single brush for the alleged crimes of a few.”

NITDA, in the same vein, urged countries which were friendly with Nigeria to caution their local authorities against treating innocent Nigerians travelling or living in their territories in a derogatory manner, or denying Nigerians services without proof of any crime.

The agency pointed out that there were thousands of hardworking Nigerian professionals with exemplary careers in Information Technology.

Nigerian technology entrepreneurs, start-ups, scale-ups, and mid-sized companies have continued to blaze the trail in innovation and provision of service in Africa and the world, the statement said.

It added that NITDA was celebrating Nigerian professionals who currently work and contribute to the development of innovation and IT in leading global multinationals.

NITDA, in the same vein, commended law enforcement agencies including the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for their dedication in the campaign against cyber criminals.

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