THE National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu has said the telecommunication system of the country is currently witnessing a lot of attacks.
This, and other attacks on the military networks, national database, and digital system, among others, he said have had a ripple effect on the nation’s economy.
He spoke at the National Cybersecurity Coordination Centre’s workshop for policymakers and sector regulators on critical national information infrastructure protection and resilience in Abuja on Monday.
Ribadu said, “We are now confronted with heightened threats of attacks on our telecommunications systems. Banking platforms, power and energy grids, military networks, transportation systems, national databases, elections, digital systems, and other critical assets.
“We are also confronted with threats of online financial scams and fraud perpetuated by nefarious individuals and groups within and outside the country, which is persistently denting our economy and indeed our international image.”
He called for the protection of vital national assets of the country,
Ribadu said, “Therefore, the protection of these assets is a major priority and vital national exigency for all of us.
“As our adoption of technology is increasing across the country, so is the increase in cyber threats and risk to our critical national information infrastructure.”
Speaking, the Minister of Defence, Abubakar Badaru, said President Bola Tinubu has given a marching order to troops to provide security cover for electricity workers to repair the destroyed towers in Kaduna State.
He also said that there was confirmation that the electricity towers were brought down by bandits.
Badaru said the government was working to ensure that all critical infrastructures are properly secured going forward.
“The National Security Adviser started with the tower, the electricity tower that has been brought down by bandits and that together we are pushing this morning to see how we secure the roads for the workers to go and fix and also develop means and ways to continue to protect those infrastructures.
“So, we are ready and able and we are charged by Mr. President’s order to be on our toes all the time. And I assure you, the National Security Adviser is always on his toes and pushing so hard for the protection of the national security assets.”