Threat from cyber terrorism, violent extremism remains high, says minister

• FG To Remove Terrorist Content From The Internet
The Minister of Communication, Adebayo Shittu, has said the threat to Nigeria from cyber terrorism and violent extremism remains high.Shittu said his ministry would continue to work with the National Assembly to improve counter-terrorism legislation and enforcement, detect, disrupt and prevent terrorism funding, as well as develop measures to detect individuals on the path to extremism.

He said the ministry would work with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) to remove terrorist content from the Internet, provide lawful, and reasonable access to information for national security purposes.

“The law must apply equally online, as it does offline, as we cannot allow cyber terrorists to use ungoverned spaces online,” he said.Speaking at the stakeholders’ conference organised by the Senate Committee on ICT and Cybercrime in Abuja, Shittu said cyber-related threats to Nigeria are increasing in number, type and sophistication.He added that Nigeria “is building strong defence and resilient communities, by leveraging on ICTs.”

Shittu said the ministry was collaborating with the National Identity Management Commission on the strategic roadmap for identity (ID) ecosystem for Nigeria handling the entire cyber-security component of the ecosystem, while the ministry would soon conduct a cyber-security assessment of the ID ecosystem.Shittu observed that the ministry was introducing transparency scheme and counter-intelligence legislation with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) to bolster the nation’s defence against foreign interference, adding that the Federal Government was poised to adopt cyber diplomacy to limit the threat that Internet and the flow of information might pose to domestic stability and regime legitimacy.

According to him, government would shape cyberspace to extend political and economic influence and counter foreign advantages in cyberspace, and also impose sanctions on those that undermine our interests and global security on the cyberspace.

He said, “Cyber sovereignty may be at the centre of our cyber diplomacy, but we will use it for technical standards to shape cyberspace for economic and political interests. It will also be part of our efforts to contain the risk of terrorism, consolidate our regional influence and manage our bilateral relationships with other important partners”.