Cyber Terrorists Raise Tensions in Nigeria – Bukhari
President Muhammadu Bukhari said the tensions in Nigeria were driven by cybercriminals, online financial scams and cyber terrorists.
In a statement released via Femi Adesina, her spokesman Bukhari called for a revision of the national cybersecurity strategy.
Bukhari, speaking at the presentation of the 2021 National Cybersecurity Policy and Strategy in Abuja, stressed the need to explore the Internet to find opportunities for economic growth, better knowledge and lower crime, according to the statement.
The President noted that the Nigerian government has made a number of important political decisions to increase the penetration of the Internet into the daily life of citizens, especially for utilitarian purposes.
Bukhari cited the launch of the National Broadband Plan 2020-2025 in March 2020 to support his point; National Policy and Strategy for the Digital Economy for 2020-2030; Schemes of the national identification program, single treasury account and bank verification number.
He said: “All of these initiatives serve as a vehicle for addressing the many economic and security challenges facing our country, and provide a platform for greater accountability and transparency in our unwavering resolve to fight corruption.
“However, as in many other countries in the world, the growth and development of the Internet comes with significant challenges. We are seeing an increase in threats from cybercriminals, online financial fraudsters and cyber terrorists who use the Internet to create anxiety. ”
He added that there has been a surge in the spread of hate speech, fake news, seditious and treacherous messages on the Internet and social media, as well as risks of leakage of personal information and sensitive government data.
Bukhari said: “The tasks are almost impossible to overestimate. Several global developments, such as the rapid emergence of new technologies, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the emergence of 5G technology, have further expanded the reach and diversification of these cyber threats.
“In October 2020, we all witnessed an escalation in the use of social media to spread subversive messages and incite violence, which helped raise tensions, sparking unrest and causing massive looting and destruction across the country. The country”.
Source: – Sahara Reporter.
