The House of Representatives in Abuja approved the harmonised conference report of a Bill for the Prohibition, Prevention, Detection, Response and Prosecution of Cybercrimes in the country.

National Assembly Conference Committee met and harmonised differences in the versions of the bill passed by both chambers on Thursday.

According to NAN, Rep. Ali Ahmed (APC-Kwara), who sponsored the bill, expressed concern that the country had no law regulating cyber activities. He noted that the absence of cyber-crime legislation exposed various persons and organizations to hacking by cyber-crime syndicates, with no law to prosecute culprits.

Ahmed later told newsmen that the bill, when signed into law, would provide adequate penalties for cybercrimes.

Ahmed added that the bill proposed a minimum punishment of two years jail term.

The legislator added that the bill will be sent to President Goodluck Jonathan for his assent "in the next few days".

The Advance Fee Fraud and other Related Offences Act 2006, is the only law in Nigeria that deals with internet crime issues.

NAN reports that the Act, however, only covers the regulation of internet service providers and cyber cafés, but does not deal with the broad spectrum of computer misuse and cybercrimes.