In a bid to create awareness among professionals, organisations and government, the African Professionals of Australia Limited (APA), organised an informative webinar on Saturday, October 28, to mark cybersecurity awareness month.
The event brought together experts, government officials, and cybersecurity enthusiasts to shed light on the pressing issue of online security.
Mrs Olajumoke Akere, an Educationist and Certified cybersecurity expert who is the Nigeria Director of special project, APA, welcomed guests, informing participants of the importance of raising cybersecurity awareness. She highlighted the pervasive role technology plays in our lives and underscored the paramount importance of cybersecurity. She stressed that it is no longer just an information technology (IT) issue and called on individuals from all walks of life to join the movement.
In her address, Professor Adenike Osofisan, the first Female Professor of Computer Science in Nigeria and an expert in the cybersecurity field, firstly applauded the APA for two decades of commendable work in the cybersecurity field. She brought to light the escalating threats Nigeria faces, especially concerning the last elections.
Misinformation, false speech, and attacks against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are just a few of the concerns. Professor Osofisan urged media houses to implement stringent fact-checking procedures to thwart the spread of misleading information and to raise public awareness.
She also encouraged individuals to safeguard transactions they perform online, and also the information they let out on the internet.
She stated that individuals should make sure they perform periodic changes to their online passwords so they won’t be easily accessible for cybercrimes.
Mr Tommy Adebayo, the APA National Coordinating Chairman, and Safety Relationship Manager for Total Marina Company, shed light on the APA’s mission to support young professionals and educate the public about safeguarding themselves from cyberattacks. According to him, the webinar was a prime example of their dedication to this cause.
Also speaking, Dr Dayo Ogunbowale, the Special Assistant on Communication to the Oyo State government, echoed the significance of individual responsibility in cybersecurity.
He emphasised the challenges of securing the virtual realm, especially in the face of increasing cyber-attacks.
He said, “I must say that as long as we use the internet, we all must take our cybersecurity very seriously. Cyberspace is pretty tough to secure for certain reasons. The fact that it’s virtual makes it difficult to secure. With deploying ICT solutions comes cyber attacks.”
Dr Ogunbowale, therefore, called for the adoption of best practices such as using strong passwords, exercising caution when clicking on suspicious links, and enabling multi-factor authentication.
In the same vein, The Oyo State Coordinator for Human Rights, Ms Olamide Akintayo, added her voice to the chorus, urging everyone to be vigilant and raise awareness about the growing threat of cyberattacks.
She emphasised the role of human rights laws in protecting individuals affected by cybercrimes and pointed to various government agencies and associations dedicated to safeguarding these rights.
Akintayo said, “The increasing rate of cyber-attacks should call for a demand for greater security in our society.
“Laws on human rights helping people that have been cyberattacked. It’s a violation of their right to dignity and can be termed as inhuman treatment. The organisation handles it.
“There are some other government agencies that have wider mandates to handle-public complaint commission, legal aid council (prosecution involved), Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) also works on it.”
Also speaking, Dr Oluseyi Ojo, a seasoned Information Security Practitioner and President of Zacsam Consulting elaborated on the necessity of daily cybersecurity risk management for individuals, organisations, and government entities. He stressed that the objective is to keep information confidential, sensitive, and readily available to authorised personnel.
As Ojo pointed out, cyber threats are a constant concern, and it’s crucial to stay ahead of cyberattacks. He noted that phishing emails and messages, in particular, are the preferred tools of cybercriminals. He added that being informed about these threats is the first step towards developing effective countermeasures to safeguard our digital lives.
Also, the Commissioner of Youth and the Commissioner of Information in Oyo State expressed their readiness to partner with the organisation to tackle cyber attacks in the state.
At the end of the event, Dr Akere expressed gratitude to everyone that have made the webinar a resounding success.
She said, “To our attentive and engaged audience, we thank you for your active participation, thought-provoking questions, and your commitment to cybersecurity awareness. Your presence here today underscores the significance of our mission.”
The Nigeria Director of special project, APA, reiterated the importance of continuing the conversations that have begun at the webinar.
She noted that cybersecurity is an ongoing journey, and it’s everyone’s shared commitment to staying informed, vigilant, and resilient that is the best defence against the ever-present digital threats.
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