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ONSA engages Telecom stakeholders on cybersecurity

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Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), on Tuesday, engaged the stakeholders in the Telecommunication sector to discuss the implementation of Nigeria’s National Cybersecurity Policy and Strategy (NCPS) 2021.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that ONSA has commenced the series of sensitisation for seven sectors that are critical to digital transformation in Nigeria.

The National Security Adviser (NSA), retired Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno said that cyberspace was fast evolving creating technologies, dismantling barriers to commerce and allowing seamless communications across borders.

Monguno, who was represented by the Director, Policy and Strategy, ONSA, Amb. Aminu Lawal said that the development of Nigeria’s cyberspace was accompanied by significant and inherent threats and challenges.

He added that the increased independence on cyberspace came with the risk that threatened national security, cyberspace operation as well as the negative impacts on the critical infrastructure of nation-states whose operations were reliant on cyberspace.

According to him, the telecommunication sector is more scared of the challenges cyberspace presents due to the growing number of interconnected systems as a result of the geometric rise of Internet users in Nigeria.

“Furthermore, the telecom companies have long been a high-value target for cybercriminals and nation-state actors because of its nature, critical service provided, the type of communications infrastructure used for transmission storage and potential of large amounts of private and sensitive data.

“Therefore, nation-state actors are increasingly targeting telecommunication providers their structure and their operations in order to establish combat surveillance over infiltrated networks to allow them to operate undetected over a long time.

“One of the notable attacks on telecom infrastructure is the Chinese state-linked hackers in September who targeted Afghan telecom provider and stole gigabytes of data from their corporate mail server over the past year.

“Another incident involving Iran hackers when they obtained 15TB of data from 8000 organizations working with Israel based company voice centre and offered the data online for 1.5 million dollars.

“More recently, a Bucharest based organisation reported that Nigeria, South Africa, and Kenya collectively recorded over two million phishing attacks in the first half of 2021.

“Among these attacks, over 393 cases were attributed to Nigeria representing a 13 per cent decline compared to the same in 2020,” he said.

Monguno said that the above incidents were a clarion call for more protective measures to protect the exponentially growing internet users in Nigeria.

He commended the effort of the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy and all relevant stakeholders through the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) for the various innovations introduced in the sector.

He said that ONSA had taken proactive measures to address some of the issues surrounding the telecom sector especially the deliberate destruction of telecoms infrastructure across the country.

According to him, the workshop provides an opportunity for stakeholders to build the necessary relationships for better collaboration to a cyber security development in the country.

The Director, Communication, ONSA, Brig-Gen. Samad Akisode said that cyberspace had become a fundamental aspect of humanity globally, adding that economies were constantly striving to exploit the benefits of the digital age.

Akesode said the constantly evolving cyberspace technology that enabled innovation and benefits had also made the users vulnerable to challenges, risks and malicious activities that must be tamed.

According to him, the increased dependence on cyberspace comes with risks that have significant national security implications which also affects the telecoms sector as part of the ecosystem that drives digital transformation towards national development.

He urged the participants to make useful inputs that would support the implementation of the NCPS 2021 towards enhancing national development.

NAN reports that the workshop is being held across seven sectors of the economy which include Telecommunications, Defence and Security, Education, Finance and capital market, energy, professional organisations, the private sector and Judiciary. (NAN)

 

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Commission, journalists partner to revamp water sector in Kaduna

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The Kaduna State Water Services Regulatory Commission (KADWREC) says it is partnering media practitioners towards revamping water services in the state.

Mr Dogara Bashir, the Executive Chairman of KADWREC, disclosed this on Monday at a one-day workshop organised for media practitioners on regulation of ‘Water, Sanitation and Hygiene’ (WASH) activities held in Kaduna.

Bashir said the commission was aware of the importance of the role media practitioners played in the society.

He stated that the workshop was to provide an avenue to liaise with them as important stakeholders on water supply and sanitation services in the state.

Bashir said: “As media practitioners, we believe you are a gateway to the citizens so, the workshop would acquaint you with some of the regulations already in place so that you can in turn transmit it to the public

“The state of water services in Kaduna State is in dire need of attention and the State Water Corporation and KADWREC were established towards addressing the seeming challenges.

“The commission is mandated to ensure better service delivery and regulation of water and sanitation services in the State.

“The idea is that once the regulations are developed, we send them to the State Ministry of Justice to gazette and then we get the state government to endorse and give the go ahead to commence the implementation of the regulations

“We intend to implement them fully come January, 2025 God willing, as we have embarked on advocacy activities having gone to zones 1 and 2 where we talked to traditional rulers, security agencies and the Judiciary.”

He disclosed that a special Court has already been attached to the commission by the Chief Judge of the State for service providers who may likely violate regulations.

The chairman further said that amongst the commission’s objectives include ensuring security, reliability and quality of service in the production and delivery of water to the consumers as well making regulations to control the sinking of boreholes.

Others included; maximising access to water services by promoting and facilitating consumer connections to distribution systems in urban and rural areas.

According to Bashir, they also include ensuring that regulatory decision-making has regards to all the relevant health, safety, environmental and social legislation applying to the water sector.

Bashir further said that the commission collaborate with the relevant state and federal agencies on water policies.

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Crime

2 ladies docked for allegedly obtaining money by fraud

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The police in Lagos have dragged two women, Mmesuma Ofunna, and Blessing Adimekwe, before an Ojo Magistrates’ Court in Lagos, over alleged obtaining money by false pretence.

Ofunna, 22, and Adimekwe, 25, were arraigned before the Magistrate, Mr L K J Layeni, on a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy, obtaining by false pretence, stealing and conduct likely to breach peace.

They each, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The prosecutor, ASP Simon Uche, told the court that the defendants conspired with others now at large, to commit the offence on Oct. 26 at the Okokomaiko area of Ojo.

He alleged that they had obtained the sum of N70, 000 from one Faith Ahamefule, with a promise not to post her nude photo on social media.

The prosecutor alleged that the defendants later posted the nude photo of the nominal complainant on social media, knowing that their promise was false.

He alleged that they stole the N70, 0000, thereby conducting themselves in a manner likely to breach public peace.

The offence contravenes the provisions of sections 168(d), 287, 314, and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.

The court granted the defendants bails in the sum of N500, 000 each, with two sureties each in like sum.

He adjourned the case until Jan. 8, 2025 for mention.

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Driver jailed 6 months for attempting to steal a car

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A Jos Magistrates’ Court on Monday, sentenced a 37-year-old driver, Ahmad Umar to six months in imprisonment for attempting to steal a car.

The Magistrate, Shawomi Bokkos, summarily tried and sentenced the convict after he pleaded guilty to the charge.

Bokkos in his judgment, ordered the convict to pay an option of N30, 000 fine or spend six months in prison.

Earlier, the Prosecutor, Insp Ibrahim Gokwat, told the court that the case was reported on Oct. 10, at the Area Command Police station through a distress call by one Sydney Peacemorie the complainant.

Gokwat said the complainant parked his Toyota RAV4 in front of Access Bank and went inside to carry out some transactions, only to return to find the convict inside his car.

“The convict unlawfully opened the car and was in the driver’s seat when the complainant raised alarm and he was apprehended, but his accomplice escaped.

“The convict was severely beaten by a mob but was rescued by the police,” said Gokwat.

“The prosecutor said that the offence contravened the Plateau Penal Code Law.

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