Nigeria Unfazed as Cyber-Terrorists Threaten War

The potential threat posed by cyber-terrorism has provoked considerable alarm around the world. But it appears Nigeria is unfazed.

Cyber-terrorism is premeditated, politically motivated attack against information, computer systems, computer programs and data, which results in violence against noncombatant targets by sub-national groups or clandestine agents.

By hacking into governments and private computer systems, cyber-terrorists can cripple the military, financial, and service sectors of any economy.

Cyber-terrorism is a clear and present danger, underscoring the need for decisive measures to stem the tide.

These unarmed but lethal terrorists now pose a threat beyond the fraudulent and expensive repercussions of hacking and even the monster called corruption.

Experts said that it is no longer just a threat to industry and individuals.

Evidence suggests that governments are now using the Internet for espionage and cyber attacks on the critical national infrastructure (financial markets, utility providers, air traffic control) of other countries.

Nigeria’s vulnerability to cyber terrorism is exacerbated by lack of skills, manpower, political will and structures including legal and locally engineered infrastructures as well as reliance on external forces for the deployment, design and development of the country’s ICT solutions.

Cyber-terrorists are also capitalizing on the uncharted nature of the country’s Internet landscape to perpetrate their heinous crime.

Anonymity of the Internet, lack of effective policing as well as absence of records of punishment, has helped the terrorists operate unhindered.

Recall the horrible example of tampering with News Agency of Nigeria’s (NAN) official email in September 2008 which led to the closure of Channels Television for a story on the President’s rumoured resignation.

 Around the world, countries have set up organs charged with combating cyber terrorism.

The United States for instance has the United States Strategic Command with the duty of combating cyber terrorism. This is accomplished through the Joint Task Force-Global Network Operations (JTF-GNO).

Nigeria is starting late as the Senate is now considering a law to stop fraud and other Internet-related financial crimes.

Penalty for culprits when the law comes to fruition is a jail term of at least five years and a maximum of 14 years.

Beyond that, the ministry of Information and Communications Technology must start thinking of a federal government broadband to filter information consumed in the country.

Nigeria should also harness her national database – name, date of birth, date of death, house number, education, consumer records to give face to every Nigerian.