Senate urges NSA to alert security agencies, others on cyber attacks

THE Senate on Tuesday, urged the National Security Adviser (NSA) to alert security and financial institutions on threatening dimensions of cyber-attacks in the country.

It said that the attacks had caused about 450 million dollars loss to Nigeria’s Information Communication Technology (ICT) space.

It mandated its Committee on Information Communication Technology and Cyber Crime to immediately convoke a national stakeholders’ conference on cyber security.

This was sequel to a motion on “Worrisome dimension of cybercrime and insecurity- urgent need for concerted efforts to secure Nigeria’s cyberspace” sponsored by Sen Buhari Abdulfatai (APC-Oyo).

In the motion, Abdulfatai said that the positive posture of ICT was being dampened by malicious activities of criminal elements in the society, who had invaded the cyberspace, presenting risks to businesses and national economies.

According to him, the hackers have developed several techniques which infected computer operating systems and networks, encrypt files and ask for ransom.

He said that cyber-attacks had taken a dangerous dimension all over the world, adding that at least 200,000 targets in over 150 countries were hit by cyber-attacks.

The lawmaker noted that studies had shown that 70 per cent of hacking attempts on Nigeria’s ICT space had resulted to a loss of over 450 million dollars.

He added that government servers were currently under serious threat.

“The oversight findings of the committee reveal that ICT shortfall in the country is enormous and that Nigeria’s cyber space is porous and that the system lacks a well-structured and effective approach to cybercrime control.

“In view of voluntary and involuntary insider compromise, together with poor information technology standards in the country, Nigeria’s security and financial system can be an easy prey to the heightened threatening ramifications of e-crime.”

Supporting the motion, Sen Gbenga Ashafa (APC-Lagos) said that Nigeria should not shy away from the fact that cyber-attack was a major problem for all.

“The worrisome part is the way this untoward act is impacting on the younger ones,” he said.

Also speaking Sen Dino Melaye (APC-Kogi) said that the activities of Sahara Reporters had been injurious to many reputable Nigerians, including senators.

He said that as senators, they must rise to protect all Nigerians from the misuse of the cyber space.

Melaye called on the Nigerian Communication Satellite (NIGCOMSAT) Limited to shut down any cyber operator that was not operating in accordance with Nigeria’s extant laws and rules.

The senators supported the motion in a unanimous vote.

In his remarks, the Deputy President of the Senate, Mr Ike Ekweremadu, said “every day they hack into our emails and set up all kinds of accounts in our names using it to defraud people. So, we are all victims.

“The most important part of this motion is not just our private emails and the social media that is being attacked, the worrisome thing is our system.

”It is a possible attack on our strategic system,” he said.

Ekweremadu, therefore, called on all stakeholders to find a way of dealing with the menace.